Nightbirds
by Baliwenn
Summary: Years ago, a young Auror was thought to be dead. Now, she returns to Hogwarts as the DADA professor and resumes a complicated friendship with Snape and deals with the students of Hogwarts. But nothing will remain quiet and safe for anyone anymore...
1. Prologue

_Note & Disclaimer:  Only one of the characters featured are of my creation (take a wild guess which one it may be).  This is just a prologue, a precursor, to a series that is being started.  READ AND REVIEW!!!_

Nightbirds

And when the wind draws strong 

_Across the cypress tress_

_The Nightbirds cease their songs_

_So gathers memories._

_                                    -Loreena McKennitt, "Courtyard Lullaby"_

Once again, it was storming hard, the wind whipping the rain around the large, imposing stone house in the middle of the forest.  Lightening occasionally allowed glimpses of the pendulous structure, but other than that, it was hidden from Muggles and wizards alike.  
  
As Snape had intended it to be.   
  
He had the manor since he had graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and prided himself on the idea that no one, not even that smug James Potter, knew of it. Which was why, on that stormy night, the thunderous knocking on the front door surprised him.  

It was very late, Snape supposed, but he had been keeping strange hours as of late.  Wand in hand, he crossed the sparse room to the door, which trembled from the continuous knocking.  "Who is it?" he called sharply, over the howling wind. He thought he heard a reply, but it was lost in the noise.  Feeling that no one would dare come to track him down without good reason, he opened the door.  
  
In the doorway stood a tall, but very young, witch, whose cloak and robes were drenched and windblown, telling tale of a hard ride.  "Tinuvial," he said in surprise. "What are you…?"   
  
But before he could finish, Snape could sense that this was not a purely social call.  The lightening flashed and lighted up the young woman's elfish features.  Her large eyes, normally blue and calm, were steely gray and furious.  Her face was pale as sheets and she was breathing hard.    
  
"Murderer," she hissed, her entire body trembling from fury rather than the cold rain. She stepped toward Snape, who, unnerved by the normally composed and unruffled woman, moved back.  "You killed them."

  
"What?" he exclaimed.  "Who…? _What are you talking about?"  
  
Not breaking eye contact with him, she took another step towards him, her eyes blazing.  "James and Lily are __dead.  And you killed them."    
  
"I did not kill anybody, Tinuvial," he said firmly, tightening his grasp on his wand.    
  
But she did not respond with words.  She lashed out with one arm, knocking Snape into a wall.  He was so surprised he could not react and or defend himself from the next blow that sent him to the ground.  
  
Tinuvial picked him up by his robes and held him against the wall, her face mere centimeters from his.  "Yes, you did," she accused, her eyes filled with unshed tears.  "It was Voldemort.  _Your _friend."    
  
Snape went cold at the words.  "Why should it matter to you?" he tried to say with a sneer, but he could not put his usual coldness into the words.  He did not try to pull away from her.  Although she had only recently finished up her schooling at Hogwarts and he had a few years on her, her slenderness was misguiding to her true strength, an unnatural one born of her ancestry.  And she was beyond furious._

  
Tinuvial jerked the sleeve of his robe up, exposing the blazing Dark Mark.  His heart turned.  She knew.  Somehow, she _knew _that he was a Death Eater.  "This," she whispered coldly, but in her tone was an agonizing mixture of loss and anguish.  "_This _makes you their murderer.  You knew James and Lily.  You _grew up _with them.  And you helped destroy something so beautiful."  Her eyes shone brighter still, but she would not break. Snape felt as though there were a crack slowly starting to spread deep inside his chest.  
  
She let go of him and moved away.  Snape did not move, but merely watched her.  He could tell she was in a lot of pain…he always was able to see her emotions where no one else could.  "Tinuvial…" he began to say, but the words would not come out.  What _could _he say to her?  He tried instead to touch her shoulder, but she jerked away. The pain worsened.

"I do not know if their son is alive," she said.  "If he isn't…if Harry, if _my godson _is dead as well…" She did not finish her statement, but Snape knew what she meant.  She stepped towards the door.  
  
"I want you to know," she whispered, "that I hate you.  I hate you and all of your kind."  Without a final look at him, she left his house.  The pain in Snape's chest worsened.  He literally grabbed his chest and doubled over, wondering what was going on.  He did not see how Tinuvial left, but could feel it in his bones that she was gone out of his life.  
  
He felt a hand touch his shoulder.  He turned to see Albus Dumbledore standing behind him, his face grave and eyes sorrowful.  "What are you doing here?" Snape snapped half-heartedly.    
  
"I had to be here in case you needed the protection," he responded, the sparkle from his eyes gone.  "You're quite lucky.  She was fully intent on killing you."

  
Snape's throat burned strangely. "Why didn't she?" he muttered hoarsely.

  
Dumbledore's eyes, too, seemed to shine like Tinuvial's had, but Snape could not tell if it was light glinting off his glasses or not.  "Perhaps because she couldn't," he answered finally.  "When she saw you, she saw a Death Eater, a follower of the man who killed people she loved, but she also saw the friend she once had."  
  
"Friend?" Snape laughed bitterly.  "I am no one's friend."  The pain worsened and he felt short of breath.  "What's wrong?" he demanded of the old wizard.  "Why do I hurt…?"  
  
"As if your heart were breaking?" Dumbledore suggested quietly.  Snape shuddered involuntarily, nearly convulsing from the physical pain he felt.   
  
And it happened.  Something inside Snape, the crack he had begun to feel, was complete and a piece of his heart that he didn't even know he had was gone.  To his surprise and shame, tears began to run down his face.   He felt the horrible, aching absence of the little warmth he had known in his cold heart.  He felt as though he had just lost something precious.  
  
_Because you did, a voice deep inside him said.  __You lost the only person who dared to be your friend.  This crushing, bitter knowledge overwhelmed his entire being and he only knew regret.  
  
"Make this stop," he begged Dumbledore.  "Please, make the pain stop."  
  
Dumbledore shook his head sadly.  "Only you can do that, Severus."    
  
"How?" the young man asked in a hopeless tone.  He did not even feel like being alive now.  He detested himself and who he had become, but for once, his overwhelming pride was not standing in way of his feelings anymore. _

  
"Perhaps I could help," the old wizard suggested quietly.  "But only if you can drag yourself out of this pit you have fallen into." He took Snape by the shoulders and made him look him the eyes.  "Do you want to leave the Death Eaters?" he asked intently.  Snape nodded, his eyes shut.

  
"Yes," he whispered miserably.   
  
"All of Voldemort's followers are being hunted.  I could talk to the Ministry," Dumbledore continued.  "If I intercede on your behalf…but you must help yourself."  
  
The words "all of Voldemort's followers" rang in his ears.  "What about Voldemort himself?" Snape asked.  
  
Dumbledore's eyes were troubled.  "We don't know where he is," he confessed.  "It's very strange.  Once he was…finished with Lily and James, he tried to kill their son.  But…it seemed to have backfired from Harry to Voldemort. I don't think Voldemort is dead, but he must be close to it."  
  
"Is the boy alive?" Snape demanded.  Dumbledore nodded thankfully.  
  
"So…there is hope left," Snape whispered to himself.  Perhaps…perhaps his oldest and only friend would not hate him so much when news of the Potter boy's survival was out.    
  
Dumbledore had a slight, but sad smile on his face as he looked over his former pupil, a man once lost down a dark road who was slowly finding his way again. _Yes, he thought.  __Yes, there is hope left._


	2. Part 1

Nightbirds

And when the wind draws strong 

_Across the cypress tress_

_The Nightbirds cease their songs_

_So gathers memories._

_-Loreena McKennitt, "Courtyard Lullaby"_

Ten days after the term has ended 

It was uncommon for a teacher from Hogwarts to be contacted during the summer holidays, unless there was a bloody good reason for it.  After nearly a year of living in the bizarre manse amongst their pupils and fellow teachers, the professors usually needed the weeks to recuperate and prepare for the next year.  It was uncommon for one to be contacted by Dumbledore, but not unheard of.  So there was a reason.  
  
Which is why Severus Snape, the Potions Master, found himself storming into the castle ten days after the term had ended.  He changed residence nearly every summer (his large dungeon-esque home no longer in use, nor did he care to return there), but somehow, the eccentric old wizard had found him.  This shouldn't have surprised Snape, given Dumbledore's abilities and the present situation, but it did, nonetheless.

  
Hagrid was waiting for him in the lobby, Fang sitting beside him, the latter growling at the Potions Master.  "Dumbledore's waitin' fer yer in his office," he said, not bothering to give him a second glance.  Snape was not amongst his favorite in the Hogwarts staff, nor was Hagrid in any higher esteem with him.  Snape nodded curtly and went up the stairs, but turned back.  
  
"Hagrid, do you know what this is about?" he asked.

  
Hagrid raised one bushy eyebrow.  "Not supposed ter tell yer," he said dodgily.  "Dumbledore's orders."

  
Snape did not reply, but continued his trek up the pendulous staircase. He walked slowly, unsure of whether he actually wanted to hear what was going on.  After the last month, Snape had begun to live in a constant state of apprehension.  Voldemort was back in power and, from what Potter had said, was thirsting for Snape's blood.  In truth, he had given much thought to leaving the Death Eaters before the Potters were killed, but found that it was more difficult than he realized. Dumbledore had told the Ministry that Snape had left the Death Eaters before that night, but was acting as a spy. But that had not been the case.  It was _after_ Voldemort disappeared that Snape had changed sides. He had had a very good reason (in his mind at any rate) for his change of heart.  Only one person could inspire him to give up that much power.  
  
But she was dead now. 

He remembered that night years ago, when Dumbledore had sent an owl to him during his years amongst the Death Eaters as a spy.  

Severus- 

_Three Death Eaters attacked young Harry Potter last night.  His godmother was there, keeping watch over him.  There is no easy way for me to say this. Tinuvial is gone from us._

_                                                                                                            Albus Dumbledore_

The next day, Snape had arrived at Hogwarts.  He had stopped being a spy amongst the remaining Death Eaters. It had taken all of his self-control to not kill the lot he was with.  There, Dumbledore had made him Potions Master and he had been there since.  But when Harry Potter had arrived, with his scar and face so much like that of his school year enemy, completely unaware that the best life had been laid down for his own, Snape developed a deep hatred for the boy.  Every time he looked at the popular Potter- so much like his father- Snape could only see that Tinuvial – the one person he could truly call a friend- died for him.

But now he had arrived at Dumbledore's office.  He stood outside it for a moment, until he heard Dumbledore call him in.  Somehow, the old wizard knew that he had been outside.  Snape pushed the door open.  Merlin knew what was about to happen.


	3. Part 2

_This takes place a second after the previous part._

Nightbirds

And when the wind draws strong 

_Across the cypress tress_

_The Nightbirds cease their songs_

_So gathers memories._

_-Loreena McKennitt, "Courtyard Lullaby"_

Ten days after the term has ended 

Snape heard Dumbledore tell him to come in.  He opened the door without hesitation, stepped in, and froze.  It couldn't be…how had it happened…  Thoughts stopped in Snape's head as he stared at the woman standing by Dumbledore's desk, unable to truly comprehend what he was seeing.

  
She had always been tall and slender, but the robes and black dress merely accented it.  Her raven black hair was long, nearly to her waist, and curly.  Her features did not appear as elven as they had in her youth.  They were softened and Snape could see the weariness in her eyes.  But there was something different about her.  Something subtle that lurked inside her.  Yet Snape could see the girl he knew years ago. "Hello Tinuvial," he said evenly.

  
A tiny smile touched her lips.  "Hello Severus.  How are you?"

  
"Tolerable," he answered.  "How are-_where_ have you been all these years?  What happened?" he found himself asking.

Tinuvial looked down and Dumbledore said, "Severus, you shall hear the entire story if you would take a seat and not get ahead of where _we_ are right now."  Tinuvial closed her eyes and smiled softly again in a silent laugh.  
  
Cups of tea appeared on Dumbledore's desk.  Tinuvial took one, Snape declined, and they disappeared.  He could not help but notice that her hands were trembling slightly.  
  
"Where to start?" Dumbledore mused, stroking his beard.  "After the Potters were killed, perhaps?" Tinuvial nodded.  "Ah, yes, excellent idea."  
  
"After Voldemort disappeared," (Dumbledore began) "the Ministry secretly employed a select few wizards and witches to hunt for him and his followers. Because of her history with him and her abilities, Tinuvial was one of them."  She did not look up, but watched her teacup from lowered eyelids, sitting stiffly.

"She agreed to help on the stipulation that she be free to check on young Harry as often as needed.  The Ministry agreed and she began her own hunt for Voldemort and his elites, checking on Harry often.  This went on for a few years."  
  
"You told me she was killed while protecting Potter," Snape cut in coldly, an accusatory tone in his voice.

Dumbledore silenced him with a slight hand gesture.  "Ah, but, you see, Severus, I never told you she was dead.  I told you she was gone."  
  
"And I was," Tinuvial said quietly. "Three of his Death Eaters, ones that I had been after, followed me to Harry.  They tried to curse him, but I put a Protection spell on him." She sighed shakily and shut her eyes.  "I'm sorry," she apologized.  "I'm still so tired sometimes…"  
  
Dumbledore shook his head.  "No need to apologize, my girl." He turned to Snape.  "The fight had taken its toll on the three Death Eaters, but they combined what little strength they had left to put the Cruciatus on her."  
  
Snape went cold.  The Cruciatus Curse.  He looked at Tinuvial again in a new light and realized that is what was different about her.  "And then?" he said, in a rather harsh tone born of repressed anger.

  
"Then, the three wizards disappeared," Dumbledore said. His eyes were troubled. "Something they did…somehow, their combined power twisted the Curse enough so that it would have to actually be removed.  Tinuvial's Sidhe relations came and took her, keeping her alive.  You see, the only ways for a Cruciatus Curse to be lifted is for the caster to lift it or for him to perish.  The wizards separated, so that they could never be caught and forced to remove it.  Tinuvial had become a terror to the remaining Death Eaters and with her gone, they were that much safer.  The first two were killed in the first few years- one in a wizard's duel and the other in a wolf attack that Remus Lupin refuses to comment on." He winked at Tinuvial.  "He knew, of course. He was always very protective over you, more so than James or Sirius."    
  
She smiled. "Remus," she said with a shake of her head.  
  
"And the third wizard?" Snape asked, dreadfully suspicious of whom it had been.  
  
Dumbledore's face grew grave.  "The third wizard was Barty Crouch."

  
Snape was numb.  Barty Crouch had done this to her. He had died only the previous month in Azkaban after receiving a Dementor's Kiss.  "How long did it last?" he demanded, fury racing in his blood.  
  
"Eleven years," Dumbledore answered somberly, his eyes sad behind his glasses.  Snape was unable to look at her now.  It all fit, now- her fraility, the trembling in her hands, the weariness in her eyes.  
  
Dumbledore continued.  "I did not truthfully think she would live to have the curse lifted, because we all thought Barty Crouch had died long ago, but still she was under it.  Only last month, when we realized he had escaped and _was_ alive did I feel some hope again.  But before, I had none.  I told you she was gone, because I did not want to give false hope when I myself had none." He sighed, his eyes sad.  "Not a wizard or witch alive can remove an evil done out of pure hatred." Tinuvial did not look up.

  
"She recovered quickly," Dumbledore said. "The Sidhe magic kept her alive and in relatively good health.  But as you can see, she weakens easily."  
  
"All I truly need is rest now, before the term," Tinuvial said, placing her teacup on Dumbledore's desk, where it vanished with a puff of smoke.  
  
Snape looked at her carefully.  "So you're the Defense Against Dark Arts professor?" he asked quietly.  She nodded.  For once, he did not feel instant hatred towards the new teacher, but only concern for her.  
  
"I've been traveling for two days," she said.  "The movement was good for, but I need to rest now."  Her face, which had always been pale, was white as a sheet now.  
  
Dumbledore nodded.  "Quite right." He turned to Snape.  "Would you assist her?"  She began to protest, saying she was fine, but Snape had stood up already.

  
Dumbledore quieted her protests.  "Tinuvial, for once, do not argue with me.  When you are fully recovered, I will gladly argue day and night with you, but for now, let yourself rest."  
  
"Is that a challenge?" she asked in a weary tone, but Snape could see a familiar mischievous glint in her eye.  
  
"If you consider it so.  Now go rest."  
  
Snape and Tinuvial left the office together in silence.  Snape was still recovering from the round of shocks and surprises he had received.  It did not seem real, none of it.

  
As they walked, Snape found himself stealing glances of the woman she had become.  While students, Tinuvial had been one of his only true friends, for some reason.  He never did know why or how.  She was good friend with the people he despised the most and was even godmother to the son of the man he detested most of all.  Yet, on some level, they shared a sense of being a loner.  Her being partially Sidhe made her stand out, which she did not want.  But, in his seventh year, Snape found himself growing strangely fond of the girl.  
  
They finally reached her room.  She opened the door, but turned back towards him.  "Dumbledore told me what you had done," she said suddenly.  "And what you would be doing again."  She smiled faintly.  To his surprise, she put his arms around him.  "I'm sorry for ever thinking you weren't a good person still," she whispered.  
  
Snape had at first been too surprised to react, but was soon returning the embrace.  "Don't be sorry for anything," he said somewhat sharply.  "I betrayed you and everyone here.  You were right to think it."  
  
"No, you're wrong," she replied. "You're better than you even realize, than anyone realizes.  It takes a strong person do what you have done."  She pulled away, her eyes sad.  "Just be careful. I don't want to lose my friend again." And she went into her room, closing the door.  
  
Snape was left standing outside in the hall.  "I don't want to lose you again either," he said softly.


	4. Part 3

Nightbirds

__

And when the wind draws strong 

_Across the cypress tress_

_The Nightbirds cease their songs_

_So gathers memories._

_-Loreena McKennitt, "Courtyard Lullaby"_

It was very early the next morning when Snape emerged from his room, having hardly slept the night before. He spent most of it pacing restlessly like a caged animal, unable to think clearly enough after the bout of shocks that he had received the night before.  Even now, after having talked and touched her, it would still not sink in that Tinuvial was alive after all these years.  
 

No one else seemed to be up now. Glancing out a window, Snape could see that the sky was still somewhat dark.  Rather than risk waking anyone up (not that it was likely to happen), he ended up in the teacher's lounge.  

It would be a stormy day, perhaps, as the sky seemed exceptionally overcast right now.  Snape muttered a few words and the candles all lit up.  He was surprised to see that someone had been in there the night before, looking at the photo albums, as the books were scattered all over on the tables.  He looked at the pile irritably, but realized that all of the books were, in fact, pictures of students from over the years.  And every one the open books showed a few people in particular.   
  
With a quick jolt to his stomach, Snape realized that every page had a picture of the Potters.  Each book was of the years they had been at Hogwarts.  His trembling hands snapped shut the book with the Seventh Year James Potter and Lily Evans sitting together and waving after a Quidditch match, looking young and healthy and alive.  Each picture… both of them smiling and waving or laughing animatedly.  Mocking him.  
  
Savagely, he slammed each book shut and practically threw them back on the shelf where they belonged.  To his surprise, he realized that he was shaking violently.  Someone had done this one purpose.  It had to be.  Somehow, someone _knew_ he would be the first to see these pictures.  Most everyone knew he came here first thing in the morning nearly every day.  
  
But who would have done this?  Who _could _have done this?  For a second, he considered Peeves the Poltergeist was the culprit, but dismissed the notion as ridiculous.  This did not seem like something he would do.  None of the other professors would leave books out like this.  
  
Then his mind settled on Tinuvial.  It was possible, he was forced to admit, but improbable. Then again, perhaps she still blamed him for the deaths of the Potters.  She said last night that she forgave him and even apologized for what she didn't need to apologize for, but still… He tried to shake the thought off.    
  
There was no reason for her to have done this.  Or anyone, for that matter.  But it was too much of a coincidence that _he _be the one to find all of these books open to pictures of two people whose deaths he felt somewhat responsible for. _Damn you, Tinuvial_, he thought with a touch of anger.  If it hadn't been for her, he would not feel this guilt.  But the notion of being angry with her over something that he had brought onto himself was even more ridiculous than her setting out these pictures.  

  
He began to hear movement in the halls and knew that some people were up.  With a final glance at the books, he composed himself and left the room, refusing to think on the strange event anymore.

***

Looking around, Tinuvial realized that Hogwarts had changed very little since she left.  It would take a few days until she was completely comfortable with finding her way around again, but because she had been good friends with James and Sirius, she knew every secret passage and escape route like the back of her hand. She smiled slightly at the thought of seeing Sirius again. And Remus.  She refused to dwell on the fact that their little "group" had shrunk dramatically in a few years.  James and Lily, Pettigrew… she quelled the surge of anger she felt at the thought of Peter Pettigrew.  If she should be the one to catch up with him, he would realize that he would be better off having Voldemort as an enemy.    
  
But before she could dwell on these thoughts, she nearly ran into Severus Snape exiting the teacher's lounge.  "Hello, Severus," she said evenly.  She thought he looked a bit anxious for it being this early in the morning.  
  
"Hello," he said in a rather tight, controlled tone.

"Something wrong?"

  
"Nothing," he said quickly, clenching his jaw.  "How are you feeling today?"  
  
"Better," she said, still not entirely believing his claim that nothing was wrong.  "Tired, still, but it will take awhile until I feel normal or somewhat normal again."  He nodded somewhat shortly.

  
"By any chance, Tinuvial, did you come in here last night or early this morning?" he asked suddenly.  
  
She raised an eyebrow.  "And why would I?  I went to bed after you walked me to my room and only awakened a quarter hour ago.  What happened?"  
  
He paused and then smiled with (to her eyes) some relief. "It's nothing," he said, relaxing a bit.  There was an awkward silence between them.  "I will…see you later today, I suppose."  
  
Tinuvial blinked. "I suppose," she repeated. Snape gave a shadow of a smile and walked from her quickly.  She looked at his retreating form, somewhat perplexed.  His behavior had been a little strange, even for him.  She shook her head in exasperation and walked in the opposite direction.  
  
                                                                                         ***

Snape closed the door to the classrooms in the dungeons, somewhat unsure of why he had just acted in that manner.  Of course it hadn't been Tinuvial to lay those pictures out.  He knew that, but who did do it then?  
  
He had to admit, it had been a bit of a shock to see her outside the door like that, as if trying to convince him that the previous night had not been a dream.  He began to relax somewhat, feeling the strange sense of peace and power he always felt when in the classrooms he commanded.  He would try to talk to her later.


	5. Part 4

Nightbirds

__

And when the wind draws strong 

_Across the cypress tress_

_The Nightbirds cease their songs_

_So gathers memories._

_-Loreena McKennitt, "Courtyard Lullaby"_

An hour or so after the curious encounter with Snape, Tinuvial found herself enjoying some sort of tea in Hagrid's small hut.  Hagrid had always been one of her favorite people around Hogwarts and she was delighted to find out that the groundskeeper had not changed one bit.  When she first arrived at Hogwarts a few days earlier, Hagrid had been so thrilled to see her and know she was safe that he nearly broke every bone in her body with his hug and cried monstrous tears.  

"Back down, Fang," Hagrid growled at the large dog, who was hovering in anticipation around Tinuvial.

"He's alright," she said lightly, stroking the dog's ears.  She broke off part of what looked like a biscuit and tossed it to the dog, who barked with happiness and chased the bit around. Tinuvial laughed softly and then stopped, almost surprised at the sound of her own laughter.  Somehow, it did not seem appropriate with all that had been happening.

"So, Hagrid," she said, putting down her teacup, "tell me about Harry."  She looked at him seriously.  "I mean, truly tell me about.  What kind of a boy is he now?"

  
Hagrid sat down with his pipe.  "Aye, Harry is the best of 'em.  He's a lot like James was, 'cept not getting' in ter as much trouble. That'd be the Lily in him."

  
"What about his abilities?" she asked.  "I heard he's been the Seeker for Gryffindor since his first year."  
  
Hagrid nodded, his face glowing with pride.  "That Harry is the best Seeker at Hogwarts and ev'ryone knows't." He chortled.  "Makes Malfoy a bit testy."

  
"Malfoy?" Tinuvial said sharply.  "As in Lucius Malfoy?"

  
He nodded.  "Yeh, Lucius Malfoy 'as a son, Draco.  An' Draco's ev'ry bit as mean an' nasty as his father."  
  
Her face had gone bleak.  "It would take talent to be as bad as Lucius Malfoy," she said, her voice grim.

  
Hagrid regarded her closely.  "I know yeh had a bit o' a rough time with Lucius…" he said gently.  
  
"A _bit_?" Tinuvial cut in.  "Try a lot of a hard time. If Severus hadn't been there, I don't know what would have happened."  
  
He nodded.  "Aye, that's true." He looked at her a bit sheepishly.  "I never thought much of Professor Snape until he helped yeh that time."  
  
"No one thought much of him, Hagrid," she replied rather sadly. "In all honesty, he was a mean, cold sort back then, but he did have his good points. It's just no one ever saw them."  
  
"Not even when you 'came friends wit' him," he mused, puffing on his pipe.  " 'Spect that's why he hates Harry so much."  
  
"_What_?" Tinuvial exclaimed. "Severus hates Harry?"  
  
Hagrid nodded.  "An' Harry's not too fond of Professor Snape, neither." He leaned a bit closer to her.  "I see a lot of what 'appens here," he said seriously.  "An' if I din't know better, I would have thought that he was out for Harry 'stead of You-Know-Who."

Tinuvial pursed her lips.  "Interesting," was all she would say.  To change the subject, she asked Hagrid about some of his "pets," a topic upon which he was all too delighted to speak on.  It was nearly an hour later when she left his hut, tired and wanting a cup of tea.  
  
However, as she headed back to the castle, she had the strange feeling that she was being watched.  Several times, she glanced over her shoulder into the trees, but saw nothing.  Vaguely uneasy, she continued her trek.  Finally, she turned around, resolved on finding the watcher.  
  
"Alright, come out," she muttered in irritation peering hard through the trees.  Something _did_ come out.  Tinuvial stared at it for a second and rolled her eyes at her own foolishness.  
  
"Where did you come from?" she asked the shaggy dog, moving over to it.  "One of Hagrid's, are you?" The dog rubbed its snout against her leg as she scratched its ears.  It was a fairly large animal- not as big as Fang, but large enough to suit Hagrid.  "Come on," she said, gently leading it back towards the path. "I'll take you back to the hut."  But the dog jumped back into the trees and disappeared.  Tinuvial watched after it for a few seconds and shrugged.  "Or not."

  
She continued up to the castle.  It was a short walk, but uphill, so by the time she was back in time, she was exhausted and trying to catch her breath.  _Bloody fool_, she berated herself.  _Trying to prove a point here with knocking yourself out?_

No one else seemed to be around, thankfully, to see her weariness, so she quietly went to her room to have a bit of a lie-down.   She reproached herself silently with a blistering tongue on how moronic it had been to push herself like that along the way.  
  
However, when she reached her room, she saw Snape approaching her.  She bit her lower lip and shifted her gaze away, not sure if she truly wanted to talk to him at the moment.  She could readily believe Hagrid when he said that Snape hated Harry and this was not the time for her to approach him about it.  Even if he did, there was nothing Tinuvial could do or say to change his feelings. Besides, she didn't want anyone else to see how overconfident she had been in thinking she could make the trek to and from Hagrid's hut after what she'd been through.

"You look tired," he remarked matter-of-factly.

"I am."  She looked down and saw that he was holding a potion bottle that had a little liquid in it. "What is that?" she asked, nodding towards it.  
  
Snape handed it to her.  "It's for you," he said.  "The Headmaster asked me to make this.  It's to keep you from tiring too quickly."  
  
"I could surely use that now," she murmured, examining the liquid with a serious eye.  She had never been one for taking brews and potions, but if it would keep her energy level a little higher, she supposed it was worth it.  "What do I do for it?"

  
"Just drink it whenever necessary."

  
"All of it?"  
  
 "I can brew some every day if needed."  
  
"I see," she said.  She looked at him straight in the eyes.  "Thank you."  
  
He nodded rather curtly and turned to leave.  Tinuvial watched him walk away. "Severus!" she called suddenly.  He turned back to her.  She stood speechless for a second, unsure of why she called him back.  "It's…it's been…do you want to talk or anything?" she asked finally.    
  
Snape stared at her for a few breaths, his brow slightly furrowed and eyes vaguely suspicious.  "Alright," he said, returning to her. "What shall we talk about?" he asked in a tone that she fancied to hear some degree of patronizing in.  
  
She shrugged slightly.  "Just…talk, I suppose.  It's been awhile."  
  
Snape gestured down the hall. "You can come with me to my classroom."  They walked together in silence down the corridor.  
  
"So, what is it like teaching here?" she asked, breaking the stillness.

  
He didn't answer right away.  "You shall know soon enough."  
  
"But what do you think about it?" she pressed.  "What are your feelings on your position here?"  
  
He stopped and looked at her gravely.  "I think it's hard work, like many things.  You have to possess a certain temperament and patience with others."  
  
"Do you possess them?" she asked seriously.

  
He looked away and started to walk. "Not entirely," he said.

  
"Then why do you teach if you don't have those traits?" she asked, walking after him, knowing that if this had been anyone asking, he would have invariably told them to bugger off long ago.  "How could you be head of an quarter of the students here if you say you do not have the qualities of a good teacher?"   
  
He didn't answer or look at her.  "What do you think?" he shot back suddenly, looking at her sharply.  "About your position here?"  
  
"Well, I should hardly know, as I've been back at Hogwarts for hardly a day and have had no pupils to speak of yet," she retorted lightly.  
  
"You know what I mean."  
  
"As a matter of fact, I do not." She glanced sideways at him.  "What _do_ you mean, Severus?"

  
Snape stopped and looked at her intently.  "You being here," he said.  "We both know that you're here partially for your own protection, but mainly to protect Potter."  
  
"And you," she added quietly. "Don't forget that all three of us are in danger here."  She touched his shoulder.  "If the situation becomes any worse, any more dangerous for Harry, you know that we're both sworn to protect him. As are Remus and Sirius.  With our lives if necessary, I know, but if Voldemort succeeds in gaining complete and absolute power, Harry will be our only hope."  
  
Snape closed his eyes.  "I wish you hadn't sworn to Dumbledore," he said in a flat tone.  "I wish you weren't involved."  
  
She looked at him tenderly.  "But I am," she said softly.  "And it isn't just to Albus Dumbledore that I swore my life for.  My family…" her voice broke slightly and she swallowed hard.  "My parents, Tobias… it would be disrespectful to their memory to _not _help the one person who could defeat Voldemort.  And we all owe James and Lily that much."  
  
Snape turned away.  "I paid my debt to James Potter when I kept Quirrell from killing his son during his first year," he said stiffly.  
  
Tinuvial nodded sadly. "I know that you saved his life… but, Severus, is the lives of many worth a schoolboy grudge?"

  
His eyes burned angrily into hers, but she did not look away.  They stood there for several seconds until he melted under her calm and wise gaze.  He turned from her and walked down the hall.  She did not follow or call him back this time. 

***

A pair of cold eyes opened slowly and it's head raised up.  "Wormtail," it said coldly, "when were you going to inform me that she was still alive?"  
  
The short, pathetic man with the watery eyes swallowed hard.  "You-your Lordship, I didn't think…"

  
"That's right, you _didn't _think," it interrupted. "You're too much of a fool to claim that your past friendship with her would keep her safe."  
  
"She means nothing to me!" he squeaked.  "I would have her torn open now in front of you…"

It held up a long, white hand. "But your stupidity has worked to your advantage once again.  She is with one of my former followers now at Hogwarts.  It will make our task easier when the time comes."  The lipless mouth twisted into a grotesque smile.  "My greatest enemy shall, in a year's time, be dead, and all those who swore to lay down their lives for him will be as well." It began to laugh, a sound that sent chills down Peter Pettigrew's spine.

And that night, Harry Potter awoke from a horrifying nightmare that he could barely remember, his scar burning like fire. But he carried the echo of a laughter he knew all too well in his mind.  

  
   
  
  



	6. Part 5

Nightbirds

And when the wind draws strong Across the cypress tress 

_The Nightbirds cease their songs_

_So gathers memories._

_-Loreena McKennitt, "Courtyard Lullaby"_

Two weeks later… 

****

Dumbledore sighed.  "Well, Arabella, I applaud your efforts to keep Harry at the Dursley's.  I suppose it was only a matter of time before Molly Weasley reached her limit."  
  
Arabella Figg nodded. "The Dursley's are horrid people, Albus.  It's for the best.  Between Arthur, Molly, and their sons, Harry will be safe.  Especially with Tinuvial back."  
  
"Tinuvial is back, that's true, but she's not up to her full strength yet," Dumbledore cautioned.  "That is why she is here, where I, Poppy, and even Severus can keep a close watch on her health."

Arabella shuddered.  "That poor girl…I shudder to imagine how she feels now."  The tone of her voice changed somewhat with her next question.  "Do you think we should let Molly and Arthur tell Harry about her?"  
  
Dumbledore shook his head.  "I expect Harry will find that out for himself.  But Tinuvial has already told me that she wasn't sure she was ready to let him know.  Remember, she hasn't seen him since he was three."  He stroked his beard.  "I was hoping to plant the seed in her mind to go to Diagon Alley in a few weeks.  If it just happens to be the day Harry is there…"  
  
The witch smiled.  "Whatever you feel is best, Albus."  
  
There was a knock at the door and Dumbledore bid them to enter.  Snape walked into the room.  "Yes, Severus?" he said benignly.   
  
Snape, who sensed a bit startled at first to see Arabella Figg in the Headmaster's Office, said in a tense voice, "There's something I need to talk to you about." He was holding a letter in his hand, which he gave to Dumbledore.  The old wizard's face darkened as he read it.  He handed it to Arabella, who frowned.    
  
"When did this come, Severus?" he asked gravely.  
  
"Just now," Snape replied.  "Given the circumstances, I…thought it best to show you."  

Dumbledore read the note with a careful eye, looking rather quizzically at his Potions Master.

"There are things that happened when we were in school that you should be aware of," Snape said flatly.    
  
"Yes, yes, I understand."  Dumbledore sighed heavily.  "Do you know where Tinuvial might be?"  Snape shook his head.  "Well, we must wait for her until discussing this." He looked at the Potions Master closely.  "We may have to bring everyone in sooner than we thought," he said grimly.     
  


***

It should have been a lovely day, what with the unusually warm breeze, Tinuvial decided, watching the lake.  She remembered from her schooldays spending time down here watching for the giant squid or the elusive mer-people.  Once in awhile, she fancied to see a shape of _something_, but preferred to let her imagination decide what was down there.  
  
She idly scratched the ears of the large dog she had seen a few weeks earlier when returning from Hagrid's after tea.  She had not thought to ask him about the dog, so she hadn't the slightest idea what it's name could be.  At any rate, she was not big into naming a pet, believing that an animal chose it's own name in its own time (a thought she attributed to her mother's line of thinking).  
  
It _should_ have been a lovely day for herself, she realized. She was growing stronger each day, thanks to the rest and nutrition she was receiving and also partially to the potion that Snape brewed for her everyday.  However, Snape was what weighed her mind down.   
  
It had been two weeks since they last spoke, not since their discussion about…well, she wasn't entirely sure what it had been about.  She had asked him about teaching at Hogwarts and the conversation somehow shifted into his grudge against James Potter. Tinuvial cringed inwardly each time she thought about it.  _Why _had she brought it up then?  _Why?_ It had not been her place to say anything to him, even if they had been friends before.  After all these years, they were virtually strangers to each other.  
  
_But it had to be said_, a voice in the back of her mind said sagely.  _Under normal circumstances, it would have been different, but these are not times for childish behavior_.    
  
She sighed and ruffled the dog's fur.  "I wish I could turn myself into an animal and forget about this whole bloody mess," she said ironically to the dog.  "It must be nice, not having to worry about little matters such as old friends or the last hope for the world."  She rolled her eyes at her own pettiness.  "I know, I'm pathetic.  But at least allow me a few moments of self-pity."  The dog seemed to grin back at her and then nuzzled her leg reassuringly.  For some reason, it made her feel better. She looked longingly up at the sky and dimly caught the daytime outline of the moon in the clear sky.

  
Another thought struck her.  It was going to be a full moon tonight.  She wondered if Remus Lupin was going to a special place for the night or if he simply continued on with his daily life.  She remembered that the day before and of the full moon, he would be overly fatigued and ill.  Perhaps the change has become easier with age.  For his sake, she hoped so. It had been hard to watch one of her dearest friends fall sick every month and know that every time the moon was full, he had to suffer excruciating pain.  James had assured her that he, Sirius, and Pettigrew would help him, but he never said how.  Every time she asked to help, Sirius would mysteriously become deaf until the subject was changed.  James was worse.  He would simply refuse outright, saying it was too dangerous.  And he would not even listen to her argue that if it was too dangerous for her, it was for them. They were absolutely maddening.  
  
But how she longed to see them… any of them.  Even Pettigrew, although he might not find the meeting so pleasant.   She missed Sirius's sarcasm, the way Remus let her unload her mind to him, even when he himself was overwhelmed, or James acting as her older brother after Tobias… she swallowed hard and couldn't continue the thought.  Even after all these years, she couldn't bring herself to think of Tobias or what happened before.  _A bit of a hard time with Lucius Malfoy, Hagrid?_ she thought bitterly.  _You don't know the half of it._  She never talked about it.  Even Lily hadn't know, and the two of them told each other practically everything.  Only a handful of people knew the entire truth of what happened:  herself, Malfoy, and Snape.  Tobias may have known, but it would have been too late.

  
She smiled at the way her thoughts kept coming back to Snape.  Cold, sarcastic… and those are his good points, she reminded herself.  She understood exactly why people disliked him.  But they never got a chance to see the more human side of him, he wouldn't let them.      
  
She stood up and the dog looked up at her mournfully.  "Don't worry, I'm sure I'll be seeing you again," she said to him reassuringly.  It looked at her balefully and seemed to wink at her.  She shook her head at her own foolishness.  She walked back up to the castle and the dog stayed by the lake, watching her move slowly.  
  
The dog yawned and stretched.  Then, slowly, it transformed back into its true body.  Sirius Black stood up and watched Tinuvial's retreating form with a brooding gaze.  Part of him wanted to run after her, despite what Dumbledore requested.  He didn't doubt the old wizard knew he was prowling the area, but was sure that he wouldn't like it if he just turned up without notice.   
  
Merlin's beard, Tinuvial was…different.  He hadn't seen her since her seventh year.  Gone was the little girl he remembered and in her place was a grown woman.  Of course, he remembered that when he saw her at seventeen, he hadn't seen her for a few years.  Even then, he had been acutely aware of the changes in her.  But she was just a girl to him then.  Now…

He sighed pensively.  Life was complicated enough as it was. He didn't need to think along those lines.  Maybe after this mess was sorted out, but not before.  Until then, however…he smiled somewhat wickedly.  Eventually, she would find out he didn't belong to Hagrid, but it was fun to be able to watch her, _truly _watch her at ease.  It was reassuring to know that the face she presented to the world was no different than her true self.   

He still carried her scent with him and he breathed it in deep.  Maybe someday… while in mid-thought, he shifted back into a dog and padded off into the trees.    

***

Moments later, Tinuvial was passing Dumbledore's office and was surprised to see the door open.  "Tinuvial, come in," she heard the Headmaster call.  As she entered the room, she saw Snape standing in the corner and a witch she vaguely recognized sitting in the chair, holding a cup of tea.  The witch smiled at her warmly.   
  
"Hello, Tinuvial, dear," she said pleasantly.  Tinuvial stared at her for a few seconds.  
  
"Mrs. Figg!" she exclaimed, recognition coming to her eyes.  "My God, I haven't seen you in ages."  The grandmotherly old witch embraced the young woman like a daughter.  To no one's surprise, Arabella Figg had tears in her eyes.  
  
"The last time I saw you was at Tobias's funeral," she said softly.  "You've grown up, child."  
  
"It does happen, doesn't it?"   
  
Snape cleared his throat pointedly.  Arabella Figg sat back down with her tea.  "I suppose we should get started, shouldn't we, Albus?" she said in a graver tone of voice.  The Headmaster nodded.  He handed Tinuvial the letter Snape had received.  She looked at him strangely, but took the letter.  Her jaw tightened as she read.

_Professor Snape,_

_            It has come to my attention that a mutual acquaintance of ours has been recently appointed the new Defense Against Dark Arts professor.  Given that we all assumed she was dead for many years, don't you believe that this is rather convenient, given her obviously frail state of health?  _

_                                                                                                Lucius Malfoy_

With great self-control, Tinuvial placed the letter back on Dumbledore's desk.  He regarded her with his sharp eyes.  "Severus has told us that something happened between the two of you in school that even I am not aware of," he said gently.  Tinuvial looked rather sharply at Snape.  "Perhaps it would be in your best interest to enlighten me."  
  
She shook her head.  "I'd rather not talk about it," she said flatly.  "It's done, in the past, it doesn't matter."  
  
"But it obviously haunts you, doesn't it?" Arabella Figg said softly.  "Whatever he did to you, it's always in the back of your mind, isn't it?"  Tinuvial did not answer.

  
"Tinuvial."  This time, Dumbledore spoke to her.  She forced herself to look up at him.  "If you have learned anything from me, I should hope it would be that only you can allow someone to have power over you."  She looked away to Snape, who stood stiffly in the corner, watching her through narrowed eyes.  They stared at each other for several seconds, until her own gaze flicked away.  Finally, she sighed.  
  
"I suppose that even a memory can have power over you," she whispered, mostly to herself.  Dumbledore looked at her sagely, awaiting her story.   
  
   
  
  



	7. Part 6

Nightbirds

And when the wind draws strong Across the cypress tress 

_The Nightbirds cease their songs_

_So gathers memories._

_-Loreena McKennitt, "Courtyard Lullaby"_

Tinuvial's story- 18 years ago 

It was an unofficial rule (Tinuvial began to say to Dumbledore and Arabella Figg) that my brother Tobias and his friends had laid down that I avoid contact with certain people.  For the most part, they were Slytherins and I at first thought that it was just petty house rivalry.  However, after a few months, I could see that there was some merit to their words.  These Slytherins were not the sort I should associate with.    They were all rather distrustful and shifty, yet one in particular stood out in that respect:  Lucius Malfoy.

Tinuvial could remember all the fights Tobias and his friends (especially Sirius Black) would have with Lucius Malfoy and his own friends.  James Potter, in particular, was particularly protective over her, almost as much as Tobias himself.  Remus Lupin was a bit more relaxed in that respect.  Although he did occasionally warn her about that group of Slytherins, he usually added that not all of them were so terrible.

  
However, Lucius Malfoy was the one she was warned about the most.  He hated all those who were not pure-blood, and while Tobias and Tinuvial had no Muggle blood, their blood was not pure wizard.  

For three years, Tinuvial had little to no contact with Malfoy.  It was only until the Christmas holidays of her third year that it happened. She was coming from the library after returning several books she had borrowed weeks earlier for a paper.  She wandered the halls for a bit, enjoying the silence of the holidays.

Tinuvial saw Lucius Malfoy ahead of her, leaning against the wall and watching her coolly.  She groaned inwardly, not wanting any trouble, but kept walking, keeping her eyes fixed straight ahead.  But Malfoy stepped right in her path.

  
"Hello Tinuvial," he said in an odd tone, keeping his eyes fixed on her.

  
She sighed in irritation.  "Hello," she said politely.  She tried to step around him, but he moved with her each way she turned.  "Will you please let me by?" she muttered, trying to be patient.

  
His lip curled in a sneering smile.  "Now why should I do something like that?"   
  
Tinuvial tried again to step around, but he blocked her yet again.  "What do you want?" she asked in exasperation.

  
His smile grew a little colder, his eyes probed even deeper.  "You're quite unique, you know," he said softly.  "You're not a pureblood, strictly speaking, but that fairy blood is more powerful than wizard's blood." He leaned uncomfortably close to her and breathed in deep.  "I can almost smell it on you." He stroked her cheek lightly with one finger.  
  
More than a little disturbed, Tinuvial tried to step away, but Malfoy grabbed her arms.  "Let me go!" she said in alarm, trying to pull from him, but he tightened his grip and shushed her.  
  
"It will be alright," he said insincerely, pulling her down a long, unlit stone hall she had seen the Slytherins enter from many times.  She struggled and fought hard, but he would not loosen his grip on her.  To her horror, she realized he was taking her to the Slytherin house and, it being the holidays, it would probably be deserted.  This thought made her fight even harder, but in vain.

  
Malfoy said the password in front of a stone wall and pulled Tinuvial inside with him.  Still, he did not let go. "There's only one other Slytherin still here at school and he is currently elsewhere," Malfoy remarked as Tinuvial saw in dismay that the common room was completely empty.

  
She finally wrenched her arm from his grip and tried to keep the space between them large.  "What do you want?" she said in a low, angry voice.  
  
Malfoy's sneer grew slightly.  "You know, I go head to head with your brother quite often, but in the three years I've known you, I have never had trouble with you in particular.  It's rather amazing, considering the company you keep."  He took a step towards her, blocking the only escape route a bit more.  "But there's still time for you, still hope." She looked at him in astonishment.  
  
"What the bloody hell are you talking about?" she snapped, moving from him.

His frosty blue eyes stayed fixed on her intensely.  "You can still choose the right friends," he said in an intimate tone, moving closer and closer.  "But, sometimes, you need to earn their trust."  Tinuvial kept backing away, but she ran into the stone wall and Malfoy trapped her in the corner.  
  
He put one arm on the wall beside her and began to shrink the distance between them.  She recoiled in disgust but was unable to get away.  He stroked one of her cheeks gently, like a lover would, but it made her want to vomit.  
  
"Get away from me," she said from clenched teeth.   
  
But he ignored her.

She stopped abruptly.  "Are you alright, dear?" Arabella Figg asked in concern.  Tinuvial nodded unconvincingly.  Arabella Figg looked at Dumbledore, whose blue eyes were burning strangely.  Snape remained silent. 

His hand moved from her face to below her neck.  He covered her mouth with his own, silencing her by force.  He used his other long fingered hand to hold her wrists together.  Pinned into the corner, her arms immobile, and unable to scream, Tinuvial began to kick at him, stomp on his feet, whatever it took to get him off her.  However Malfoy merely pressed his body against hers, limiting her movement even more.  
  
For the first time in her life, Tinuvial was helpless.  Unable to move or call for help, she still fought him, but he was older and stronger.  His free hand moved all over her body roughly.  She was filled with shame and humiliation, pinned against the wall like an object.  She was growing tired and could no longer fight him off.  Just as she, ridden with despair, was about to give up, she heard something.  
  
"What are you doing, Lucius?" a male voice said quietly from behind.  Malfoy moved his head slightly and Tinuvial could see a tall and dark sixth year she vaguely recognized.  He had a grim look on his face and his cold black eyes were coldly burning into Malfoy.

  
"Entertaining," Malfoy said coolly.  "You really should leave, Severus."  
  
The sixth year inclined his head.  "I should leave," he agreed.  Tinuvial looked at him, stricken, her eyes pleading for him to _not _go.  
  
"And I think _she_ should come with me," he added, moving towards them.  Malfoy, his gray eyes snapping, glowered at him.  The other young man pushed him aside and beckoned to Tinuvial.  He walked slightly behind her, leading her to the exit.  
  
"You shouldn't have interfered, Severus," Malfoy called to them coldly.

  
He turned back around. "Of all people, Lucius," he said slowly and deliberately, "I believe _I_ am the best judge of what I should and should not do."  He turned back to Tinuvial and made sure she was safely out of the tower before exiting it himself.  
  
He walked alongside her silently, keeping his space.  "Are you alright?" he asked finally.

  
She straightened her disheveled robes and school clothes and tried to nod while maintaining a semblance of dignity.  She was trembling violently and surprised herself by bursting into tears. She covered her face, feeling horribly ashamed and humiliated.  The Slytherin tactfully kept his distance.  
  
She began to take in deep breaths to calm herself down.  It took several minutes until she was ready to speak.  He did not comment on her tears at all. "Do you want to go back to your house?" he asked quietly.  She shook her head.

"I don't want my brother or…or James or any of them to see me like this," she said softly.  
  
"Are you going to tell anyone?"

  
She shook her head miserably.  "I just want to forget about it," she muttered.  
  
He nodded somewhat reluctantly.  "I will respect that, but if you change your mind, let me know and I will back you."  
  
She looked at him suspiciously.  "You're Severus Snape, aren't you?  I thought Malfoy was one of your friends."  
  
"I have no friends," he stated bluntly.  "Housemates, yes, but there are things I cannot abide, and what he did to you is one of them.  You should be more careful around him."  
  
"But I didn't do it on purpose," she protested.  "I was coming from the library."  
  
"Was he waiting for you?"  
  
She shrugged wearily.  " I don't know."  As they turned a corner, Sirius Black was coming toward them.  
  
Of all of Tobias's friends, Sirius hated the Slytherins with an almost unnatural passion.  He took one look at Tinuvial's disarrayed clothing and tear-streaked face and the Slytherin walking next to him and it was with an amazing amount of self-control that he did not jump on Snape.

  
"What happened, Tinuvial?" Sirius whispered, glancing dangerously at Snape.  She opened her mouth, but the words would not come out.  Sirius turned to Snape, grabbing his robes and pushing him up against the wall.  "What the hell did you do to her?" he snarled, his eyes burning.  
  
"For the love of God, Sirius, it wasn't Severus!"  Tinuvial burst out, pulling her friend off of the Slytherin.  "If it hadn't been for him, I'd be in even worse trouble."  
   
Sirius let go of Snape as if releasing something distasteful and backed away.  "Then what happened?"  Snape looked at Tinuvial with one raised eyebrow.  She sighed, not really wanting to tell about it, but knowing that if she didn't, Sirius would assume that Snape had done something horrid to her.

"It was Lucius Malfoy," she mumbled.  "He dragged me into the Slytherin house and…" She hugged arms across her chest, shivering slightly, feeling horribly disgusting.   
  
"He roughed with her a bit," Snape put in.  "I happened across them and brought her out."  Tinuvial nodded, biting her lip and briefly told him how it had happened.  
  
Sirius's face had gone dark.  "I see," he said softly, clenching his fists.  He did not look at either of them, but stared straight ahead to where he knew the Slytherins came from.  He took one step towards it when Tinuvial rushed to him.   
  
"No, no, don't!" she begged him.  "Please, I just want to forget about it."  Sirius gritted his teeth.  
  
"Well, I am _not_ going to forget about it," he said softly.  "I am going to tell Tobias and then I am going to ask him very politely if he will let me be present when he pummels that disgusting excuse for a human out of this present incarnation."  Sirius took Tinuvial by the shoulders and lead her towards the Gryffindor tower.  She looked back over her shoulder to Snape, who was watching them leave with no emotion on his face.  She briefly made eye contact with him.  He looked at her intently for an instant before turning and walking in the other direction.

  
_Tinuvial stopped again.  Dumbledore looked at her sorrowfully.  "You should have told me," he said to her gently.  She nodded._

_  
"I know," she whispered.  "But…but I couldn't.  I too ashamed and…"  She shivered suddenly._

"That isn't all," Snape said quietly from behind them, surprising them all, as he'd been totally silent since she entered the room.  Dumbledore looked at Tinuvial sharply.  
  


_"What else happened?" he asked her.  
  
She winced.  "Tobias."  
  
_

**Tell me what you think happened: **the_storyspinner@hotmail.com_  
_  
  
  



	8. Part 7

Nightbirds

And when the wind draws strong Across the cypress tress 

_The Nightbirds cease their songs_

_So gathers memories._

_-Loreena McKennitt, "Courtyard Lullaby"_

Tinuvial's story- 18 years ago 

It was strange.  Tinuvial felt surprisingly calm as she told Dumbledore and Arabella Figg what happened all those years ago that has haunted her ever since, that has made her flinch inwardly from any man's touch.  Although, perhaps 'calm' was not the right word.  More than anything, she felt empty.  
  
Dumbledore looked at her carefully.  "Are you alright to continue?" he asked quietly.  She hesitated.  The worst of what happened was still untold.  She made eye contact with Snape and held it for several seconds.  Something about his flat gaze strengthened her resolve and she nodded reluctantly.  
  
"As promised," she continued, looking down at her hands, "Sirius told Tobias what had happened…"

Only once in her lifetime had Tinuvial seen Tobias so full of rage and that had been earlier this year, when they received news that Voldemort had killed their parents.  His face had gone deathly pale and his eyes had turned from their usual deep blue to a flinty gray. 

  
"Malfoy is dead," he whispered deliberately to Sirius, who looked frighteningly similar to Tobias.  James and Remus were outraged as well when they heard about Malfoy's attack on Tinuvial.  The girl herself felt strangely empty sitting beside Remus on the couch in the warmly lit Gryffindor common room.  Wearily, she noted that her brother's hands were shaking.  
  
"Tobias, please," she said jadedly, "just leave it.  I wasn't hurt.  I'd rather just forget about it all."  She had said this over and over for the last hour, but in vain.  Tobias did not seem to see that the sooner she put Malfoy's violation out of her mind, the better off she would be.  She put her elbows on her knees and buried her face in her hands, as if blocking out her vision would help.  Remus rubbed her back comfortingly.

  
Tobias was shaking his head.  "Something needs to be done, Tinuvial.  It's enough that we all agreed to _not _tell anyone else."  
  
James grunted.  "Not that it would do any good," he said bitterly.  "Malfoy's family has so many connections, we would just be slitting Dumbledore's throat."

"But what if you get expelled?" she asked challengingly.  "Is Malfoy worth it?"  
  
Tobias looked at her strangely.  "You are."  Tinuvial sighed in defeat.  "He's a bloody fool for having even _looked _at you and you can count on him being dead one, now."

And she could not change his mind.  Despite all her pleading and cajoling, Tobias stubbornly left Gryffindor tower in pursuit of Malfoy.  Sirius followed, leaving Remus, James, and Tinuvial behind.  James sighed and paced the room irritably, looking very put off by something.  
  
"What's wrong?" Remus asked.

  
James frowned.  "I can't help but feel that something's wrong with all of this."  
  


Remus frowned as well.  "Something is wrong with all of this.   Malfoy tried to rape Tinuvial."  She flinched visibly at the word and Remus put his arm around her comfortingly.

James shook his head.  "No, that's not what I mean.  What would Malfoy just out of nowhere attack Tinuvial when he _knows _that her brother wouldn't just let it go?  And another thing, Malfoy has hardly said two words to you since you've come here, has he, Tinuvial?"  
  
She nodded.  "We've never spoken directly."  
  
"And you've been here for two and half years," Remus added thoughtfully.  Then he shrugged.  "Perhaps she just caught his attention at the wrong moment, I don't know.  Whatever the reason, Tobias is right.  We can't let this pass."  
  
Tinuvial groaned.  "Oh, Remus, not you, too.  I thought you were the least violent of the group."  
  
He smiled.  "Only at certain times of the month, love."  

  
It seemed that Tobias and Sirius were gone for hours.  James continued to pace the room with a thoughtful expression on his face, his brow furrowed.  Tinuvial suddenly felt as though weights were dragging down her eyelids.  She laid down, her head on Remus's leg, and fell asleep with him stroking her hair comfortingly.  

  
It was nearly an hour later when Tobias and Sirius returned.  "Wizard's duel," Tobias said shortly.  "Tomorrow night on the edge of the Forbidden Forest.  James, will you be my second?"    
  
Tinuvial had woken up when her brother entered and sat up in surprise.  "A _wizard's duel_?" she exclaimed.  "Tobias, are you mad?"  
  
James didn't look too happy about it either, but agreed to back Tobias.  Her brother then turned to Sirius and Remus.  "And, you two, keep her here during all of this."  
  
"_No_," she said firmly.  "This is ridiculous, you can't go into a wizard's duel with Malfoy.  Everyone says that he knows all about the Dark Arts."  
  
Tobias rolled his eyes.  "No, that's what _he_ says and I don't believe a word of it.  Malfoy talks big, but cannot act on his own feet.  I've known him for seven years, believe me, I know."

Tinuvial was quite close to tears.  "Please, Tobias, don't do this.  It's not worth it," she begged, fearful already of what was going to happen.  
  
Her brother shook his head stonily, his face pale and determined.  "Do you think Mum and Dad would have let this go?" he asked her harshly.  "Do you?"  
  
Tinuvial fled the room, frustrated and with tears streaming down her face.

***

That night was endless.  Tinuvial slept for perhaps twenty minutes towards dawn until finally just getting up.  The girl's dorm was empty for the holidays. She sighed, wishing that Lily were here instead of with her family. She dressed quickly and left the tower, deciding to go to the library.

She passed the hall where the Slytherin house was connected.  She hesitated as she heard footsteps.  For a moment, she considered running until she saw that the person leaving the house was none other than her Slytherin knight in shining armor from yesterday.  
  
"Severus," she called quietly, trying to grab his attention.  He looked up at her in mild surprise and walked over.

  
"How are you today?" he asked.

She swallowed and bit her lip.  "Alright," she lied.  One look at her and Snape knew that she was lying.  He raised a cynical eyebrow at her.  She let out a shaky breath and it burst out of her.  "Oh, God, Severus, they're going to duel tonight," she moaned.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Malfoy and my brother," she muttered, rubbing her temples.  "I can't talk Tobias out of it."  

"I shouldn't doubt it," he answered.  "I know your brother."  He glanced behind his shoulder.  "Where are you going?"  
  
She shrugged wearily.  "I was going to the library, but…" she sighed, trailing off her words.  
  


"I'll walk with you," he volunteered, leading her away from the entrance to the Slytherin house.  
  
They walked in silence together.  "Is it true that Malfoy knows more about Dark Arts than any other student here?" she asked finally.  
  
"_No_," he said rather sharply, surprising her.  "Malfoy knows some, but no more than _most _of them."  Tinuvial could not help but note that he did not include himself in the majority.  
  
"What do you think my brother's chances are?" she asked in a rather small voice, her eyes worried.

  
Snape hesitated.  "Truthfully, I don't believe Malfoy stands a chance.  Who is your brother's second?"  
  
"James Potter."  
  
Something strange flashed in his eyes.  "Yes," he murmured.  "Yes, I see."  To her, he added," I wouldn't worry, myself.  Your brother is more than enough for Lucius Malfoy."

"You seem so sure of it," she said softly.  "Why can't I be so certain?"  He didn't have an answer for that.  They walked in silence until they ended up in the Great Hall, where they parted ways without a word.

***

All too soon, it was evening.  Tinuvial sat silently in the Gryffindor common room with James, Tobias, Sirius, and Remus all around her.  All of the boys were giving Tobias different bits of advice on what to use and how to block different curses, all of which he knew already, but their nervous chatter kept him focused on his task.  
  
At last, he stood up with a sigh and James followed suit.  They walked silently to the exit until Tobias reached Tinuvial.  "Well?" he asked finally.  
  
"Well what?" she muttered.  "Would it do any good if I told you once more that I think you are completely mad to do this?  That what happened is not worth you risking your neck like this?"    
  
Tobias shook his head, a shadow of his half-smile on his face.  "No," he said softly.  "But say it anyway."  
  
She took in a shuddering breath, trying not to cry.  "I wish you weren't doing this," she whispered hoarsely.  "Something is going to happen, I can feel it."  Tobias said nothing, but hugged his little sister fiercely.   
  


"Hey," he said softly.  "I'll be alright.  Really."  He looked into her teary eyes and rubbed her hair affectionately.  She let out a shuddery, bitter laugh.  "Just stay here, okay?"  She didn't nod.  "I mean it," he added, straightening up.  

  
As he turned to leave, something inside Tinuvial screamed at her to _not_ let him go.  She very nearly called him back, but he was already out of the portrait hole and James closed the door behind them.  The resounding thud sounded eerily final to her.

  
"This is a big mistake," she whispered to no one in particular.  Sirius and Remus watched her closely.  She stood there for a few moment, just staring at the door.  Then, suddenly, without a word, without even _thinking_, she flung open the door and ran after them.  Sirius and Remus both shouted at her to stop, but she refused to listen.

  
To her surprise, the first person she ran into outside of Gryffindor tower was Severus Snape, who looked as though he'd been running.  "We've got to go after them," he said tensely, pulling her along after them.  
  
"What's wrong?" she called to him, trying to keep up with his longer strides.  He didn't answer, but there was a look of pure alarm on his face.

It seemed she and Snape ran forever.  Dimly, she heard Remus and Sirius running after them.  They reached the entrance to the mansion and flung the doors open, not even stopping to close them.  
  
"There!" he exclaimed, pointing towards the forest.  This time, it was Snape who had a hard time keeping up.  "Tinuvial, wait!" he yelled, trying to pull her back.  
  
But she reached the edge of the forest before Snape did.  James was lying unconscious on the ground.  She saw Tobias standing there, his wand out and his face frightened.  But it wasn't Malfoy he was facing.  
  
Standing perhaps ten meters from Tobias was a tall, unearthly pale man with a snake-like face and strange red eyes.  He was smiling coldly at Tobias and his smile dripped with venom, sending chills down Tinuvial's spine.   She realized numbly that she was looking at the man who murdered her parents.  
  
Lord Voldemort.  
  
Tobias raised his wand, fury racing through his eyes and all reason gone.  "Tobias, _NO_!" she screamed, trying to run to her brother as Snape held her back.  

  
But it was too late.

  
Casually, almost lazily, Voldemort blocked Tobias's stunning curse, sending it bouncing back towards him.  Tobias dove out of the way in surprise.  
  
Voldemort's smile grew ever so slightly as he raised his wand.  "_Avada Kedavra_," he whispered.

  
Snape pulled Tinuvial down to the ground and covered her body with his own as an unholy flash of silver light blinded them.  When it was gone, Tobias was lying motionless on the ground.

 "No," Tinuvial whispered in disbelief.  "Oh, God, please _no_!"  Before Snape could stop her, she had crawled frantically over to Tobias.  She cradled his body in her small arms.  "Tobias, wake up," she begged. "_Please_ wake up."  But even as she uttered these futile words, the whole reality set in.  Tobias was dead. 

A feeling of unbearable loss wrenched at her heart painfully and she began to sob, hiding her face in Tobias's chest as she had so often in those dark days when their parents had been murdered.  Only now, there were no strong arms to hold her and comfort her.  There was no one to reassure her that it was all right, Tinuvial, your older brother will take care of you.  Tobias was gone forever.  Snape had come up behind her at some point and was holding her awkwardly, as though he had never held someone before.  

  
It had only taken a second and her world was shattered irreparably.  There was only her and Tobias sitting together on the cold earth.  She did not notice Snape with his arm around he.  Nor did she see Voldemort approach her.

  
"Poor child," he said insincerely, making a mockery of her grief.  "Poor, _lonely_, little Fairy girl."  He grabbed her chin gently and pulled it up so that she was looking at him.  His evil red eyes burned into her anguished blue ones.  "There's something different about you," he hissed finally.  "You have something that neither your parents or this fool here had."  She yanked her chin away and shut her eyes tightly, praying that she would wake up to find that all of this had been a nightmare.   
  
He then shifted his gaze to Snape, who tightened his grip on Tinuvial protectively.  Voldemort smiled once more.  "You, too," he said softly.  "You have a strange sort of power in you, too." 

She had no idea what happened next or what was said after she closed her eyes until Voldemort laughed chillingly.  "I _will_ be seeing you again," he promised Tinuvial.  And he seemed to disappear.    
  
"Tinuvial."  It was Remus, and his face was shining with tears, his eyes grief-stricken.  He had appeared at some point from behind.  "I saw," he mumbled numbly.  "I saw everything.  Sirius and I, we ran after you, but Malfoy stopped us right outside the doors.  We knew something was wrong then.  Sirius fought with him and I came down here after…" his words rambled together in nonsense in her mind. Snape stepped away from the grieving friends, his face emotionless, but his eyes had a strangely thoughtful glint in them.  

But Tinuvial did not see it.

***

The rest of the day passed in a blur.  It seems Sirius had Petrified Malfoy and ran to find Dumbledore.  Tinuvial barely remembered what happened next.  She seemed to vaguely recall Professor McGonagell sobbing as she hugged the girl, it seems to comfort herself more than Tinuvial.  Sirius was apoplectic with rage and it took a sleeping draught to keep him from attacking someone, _anyone_, with his bare hands.   Remus sat beside James's (who was still unconscious) bed in the hospital wing, his face stony.  Tinuvial was numb with grief.  
  
Against her will, she took a draught to induce sleep.  Tobias's death was replayed over and over as she slept.  When she awoke, her first thought was to go find Tobias and tell him about her dream.  But then she remembered that it _hadn't _been a dream.    
  
And the grief threatened to overwhelm her once more.

***

_"We realized later that Malfoy had been working for Voldemort even then," she said to Dumbledore.  "It was all a mad, insane set-up so Voldemort could finish of the rest of our family.  But he didn't kill me, because he thought that…"  
  
"…that she would turn and work for _him_," Snape said quietly, surprising them all, as he had been silent all through the telling.    
  
Arabella Figg sat numbly in her seat, her tea untouched now.   Dumbledore looked at them all gravely.  "And you believe that Malfoy would try to set her up again?" he asked quietly to Snape, who didn't answer.  His silence was answer enough.   Dumbledore sighed heavily._

_  
"A dark story, my child," he said gently to Tinuvial.  "I always felt that you were hiding something rather large from me."  He smiled rather sadly.  "I'm sorry to have made you live through that again."  She shook her head wearily.  
  
"Do not worry yourself," she said, trying to keep her tone light, but failing.  She stood up and left the room silently.  Everyone else watched her leave, seeing her in a new light. Snape followed suit and left the room as well.  
  
"There is more strength than even I could have imagined behind that child," Dumbledore said softly to Arabella Figg, who nodded in agreement.  "It gives me hope to see that.  Perhaps we actually do have a better chance against this evil now."_


	9. Part 8

Nightbirds

__

And when the wind draws strong 

_Across the cypress tress_

_The Nightbirds cease their songs_

_So gathers memories._

_-Loreena McKennitt, "Courtyard Lullaby"_

The headline on the _Daily Prophet_ read:

CORNELIUS FUDGE RESIGNS; CHOOSES ARTHUR WEASLEY AS NEW MINISTER OF MAGIC

"Last night, the wizarding world was shocked by Cornelius Fudge's sudden announcement to resign his long-held post as the Minister of Magic, which was immediately effective.  In his short speech, in which he made vague references to "dark times ahead" and the situation last year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in which a popular and handsome seventh year, Cedric Diggory, tragically lost his life during an accident while competing in the TriWizard Tournament.  Mr. Fudge then said that if the Ministry were smart enough, they would immediately appoint Arthur Weasley, the then Head of Misuse of Muggle Items and has four children attending Hogwarts- the new Minister.  "Arthur Weasley," Mr. Fudge said rather cryptically, "is the one person who can handle what is to come."   The Board of the Ministry unanimously voted Mr. Weasley as the Minister.

Naturally, some opposition was made known, particularly that of Mr. Lucius Malfoy, a former governor of Hogwarts, who reminded everyone of the charge against Mr. Weasley three years ago when Muggles spotted his flying car.  Mr. Weasley, when asked, merely smiled and said, "Ask Lucius Malfoy why the rest of the governors made him resign his post and I will tell you about the car."  
  


There was more to the article, but Tinuvial stopped reading.  "Weasley, Weasley…" she muttered.  _Why _did that name sound so familiar? Ah, yes.  Harry's friend, Ron, was a Weasley.  She smiled as she looked at the moving picture of Mr. Weasley.  He looked like a nice person.    But Minister of Magic?  She knew nothing of the Weasley family, other than that they were like a family to Harry.  She picked up the _Daily Prophet_ and her cup of tea and left her room.

It was still early in the morning, but she knew that Dumbledore would be awake now.  The door to his office was open and she stepped in.  The old wizard was talking softly to Fawkes the Phoenix as he fed the beautiful bird.  "Hello, my girl," he greeted  Tinuvial warmly.

  
"Have you seen this yet?" she asked, sliding the newspaper across the desk as she sat down across from him.  Dumbledore smiled.

"No, I haven't, but I've known about it since last night," he said.  "It was I who advised Cornelius Fudge to suggest Arthur Weasley." Fawkes had left his perch and flew over to Tinuvial and perched on the arm of her chair.  She stroked the great bird's feathery back.

  
"So this is a good thing?" she asked hopefully.  Dumbledore nodded.

  
"Last year, after Bartemius Crouch, Jr. was discovered to be masquerading as Mad-Eye Moody, Fudge refused to believe any of us and had a Dementor Kiss the young man.  Even after Severus showed him his burning Dark Mark, Fudge would not believe that Voldemort was truly back."  
  
"Can't say I blame him, really," Tinuvial murmured.  "It's not something I'd want to readily believe. But I do understand what you mean."

"Arthur Weasley is a good man and formidable wizard.  He was present last year when everything happened and understands what is happening, what _will_ happen, and what must be done." Dumbledore smiled.  "You'll like the Weasleys.  Fred and George are seventh years, young Ginny is a fourth, and Ron is…"

"Fifth year," she said quickly.  "And one of Harry's best friends.  I know."  She smiled, somewhat embarrassed.  "I talked to Hagrid."  
  
Dumbledore nodded approvingly.  "Hagrid is another one of Harry's protectors."  
  
"How many is that, now?" she asked.  "Hagrid, Sirius, Remus, myself, Severus, Professor McGonagell…"  
  
"You're not her student anymore," Dumbledore said in amusement.  "You can call her Minerva."  
  
She smiled.  "She'll always be 'Professor McGonagell' to me, but I'll try.  Who else is there?"  
  
"A few others, but they'll not be known to you for some time," Dumbledore said mysteriously, but he winked at her and changed the subject.  "Are you ready for the new term?  It's only two weeks from now."  
  
"I'm rather anxious for it to start," she admitted.  "I've been ready for some time, now."  
  
"Will you be alright?" he asked seriously.

  
She nodded.  "I'm…stronger than I was when I first came here.  Everyone has helped me.  I walk with Hagrid a lot outside, Prof…_Minerva _constantly reminds me to _not_ tire myself out, and Severus brews that potion everyday, which has helped, surprisingly."   
  
Dumbledore smiled.  "That's very good."  Tinuvial stood up and Fawkes flew to her shoulder.  She started slightly and looked at Dumbledore in surprise, who laughed softly.    
  
"Fawkes remembers you, my girl," he said gently.  "He was just telling me that when you came in."  He motioned to the phoenix, who, it seemed, reluctantly left the young witch.  She stared at the two for a moment, then smiled.   
  
"Is that a good thing?" she asked.

  
"It's a very good thing," he said.  "A phoenix lives for a very long time.  For us, there is no immortality, but in the memories of those who love us."


	10. Part 9

Nightbirds

__

And when the wind draws strong 

_Across the cypress tress_

_The Nightbirds cease their songs_

_So gathers memories._

_-Loreena McKennitt, "Courtyard Lullaby"_

This had gone too far.

Snape stormed out of his classroom, clutching the parchment tightly in a white-knuckled fist.  His normally flat black eyes were flashing dangerously as he flew through the corridor looking for her.   There was no other explanation; it _had _to be her behind these ridiculous messages.   "Tinuvial!" he yelled angrily, hoping that she would hear him.  By a stroke of luck, he found her in the next corridor.

  
"What is it?" she asked, somewhat annoyed.  "Most everyone else is still asleep, Severus.  You're being very rude indeed."  
  
He shoved the parchment at her.  "Why the bloody hell are you doing this?" he asked in tone that was part furious, part hurt.

  
"Doing _what_?" she asked somewhat snappishly, her previous good mood quickly dissipating.  She took the parchment and read:  
  
**_JAMES AND LILY! THE LONGBOTTOMS!  CEDRIC DIGGORY!  _**

The list went on for quite some time, but Tinuvial stopped reading after a few lines.  She looked at Snape in utter disbelief.  "Why," she began to ask very deliberately, "do you think I would do something like this?"  
  
"Because you're the only person here who ever said I was a murderer," he snapped.  "You accused me of it once, remember?"  
  
"Of course I remember.  There is _nothing_ wrong with my memory."  She glared at him, rather angry that he would even accuse of her of something so ridiculous.  "But in case _you've_ forgotten, I apologized _and_ forgave you a long time ago, do you remember?"

"Well, then who's doing it?" he asked, not entirely sure he could believe her.

She spread her hands.  "Why do you think I would know? What, do you think I'm…smuggling_ Sirius Black_ in here just to torment you? Believe you me, Severus, if I wanted to give you a hard time, you would know."

He stared at her for several seconds.  "Alright," he finally said with gritted teeth.  "But this isn't the first thing I've gotten.  The first morning you were here, I went into the lounge and all the photo albums were opened to pictures of the Potters.  Everyone knows that I'm usually the first person in there every morning."  
  
"I didn't know," Tinuvial said rather sharply.  "Did you think of that?  My first morning here and you expected me to know your daily habits?"  He didn't answer.  "I respect you more than you can know, Severus, but, _honestly_!  There are times when I could positively strangle you."   She turned on her heel and stormed away from him, all vestiges of her good mood gone completely.

***

Although he would never admit it, Snape did feel rather guilty about accusing Tinuvial of leaving such childish messages around for him.  When he actually _did_ think about it, it didn't make any sense that she would do something along those lines, as subtlety is not one of her more prominent attributes . He looked at the paper again.  He saw her family listed on there, but apparently she had not seen it.  

He sighed, crumbling up the paper and throwing it into the fire.   Perhaps he would apologize to her again if he saw her later, but, if not, he would simply let it pass.  Back in school, after the death of her brother, she had been quite emotional for many months and would quickly lose her temper over something trivial.  Snape learned that the best way to deal with it was to let it pass and she would eventually tire of avoiding him.  Hopefully, that hasn't changed much, even if he did rather start this argument.

  
Luck was with him that day, it seems, because when he saw Tinuvial at dinner, she was friendly enough, but not overly so.   The assembled staff of Hogwarts spent a great deal of dinner discussing the resignation of Cornelius Fudge and the appointment of Arthur Weasley as Minister of Magic.  

"I think it's a brilliant move!" Professor Flitwick proclaimed, jumping up on his seat, yet still only reaching the shoulders of most teachers. "The Weasleys are one of the oldest and most respected wizarding families around."  
  
Professor Trelawney, whose glasses seemed to get bigger every year, shook her head wispily.  "I have seen," she said dramatically, "that hard times are ahead."  
  
"I'm sure you have, dear," Madam Pomfrey said absentmindedly.  "Albus, what do you think?" Dumbledore merely smiled.  
  
"In my opinion," Snape said, cutting through the silence that had fallen briefly, "it's a disastrous idea.  Arthur Weasley is the father of Fred and George Weasley, not to mention Ronald Weasley.  Any father who cannot control their children can hardly be expected to control a government."  
  
Professor McGonagell cleared her throat.  "In case you've forgotten, Severus," she said in a somewhat reprimanding tone, "Arthur is also the father of Bill, Charles, and Percy Weasley.  I need not remind that the three of them were all model students and are doing quite well for themselves.  And his daughter, Ginny, is heading along those same lines."    
  
Snape heard someone trying not to laugh a few seats down from him.  He glanced over and saw that Tinuvial was bent over her food and biting her lips, unsuccessfully holding back a smile.  "Besides, Severus," she called down to him, unable to look for fear of losing control, "since when have you become an expert on parenting?  Unless you're not telling us something, I see no offspring of yours that enable you to speak on the parenting skills of others."  Several of those present smiled or laughed lightly.

  
He said nothing back, but concentrated on his dinner.  Despite the remark she made at his expense, Snape was actually rather relieved.  If Tinuvial was throwing retorts back at him and _smiling_ while she did so, perhaps his behavior this morning has been forgiven.  

The rest of the dinner conversation continued, but Snape did not participate in it anymore.  He ate quickly, occasionally throwing glances down the table at Tinuvial, who was speaking animatedly with Professor Flitwick.  Something about her was different tonight.  She didn't look so pale and wan as she did when she first arrived, nor as thin.  There was a definite flush to her cheeks and seemed more energetic than before.  He didn't realize it, but there was a tiny smile- just barely a shadow of one- on his face as he watched.  She seemed less like the frail woman he had seen before but more like the promise of the lady she would have become years ago if circumstances had not prevented it.  

He excused himself from the table and left the Great Hall, considering going to his office, when he heard footsteps from behind. "Severus," Tinuvial said, catching up with him, her eyes somewhat anxious, "are we alright, then?  From this morning, I mean?"  
  
He nodded.  "I really am sorry," he said quietly.  She shook her head with a sigh.

  
"I could see how you _would_ have thought it was me doing that," she admitted.  "It does seem rather suspicious, doesn't it?" Snape did not answer.  She laughed rather bitterly.  "Thishas been a bit awkward for us both," she said, looking at him keenly.  "We're not the same people we were eleven years ago and a lot has changed in the world around us." Her brow furrowed.  "Although, if you think about it, we're very much close to the same situation now that we were back then. With Voldemort, I mean."  She smiled somewhat.  "Except you're on our side now.  And that makes a huge difference."  
  
Snape looked at her intently.  "If you had the chance," he asked carefully, "would you kill him?"

"Voldemort?" She bit her lip.  "Yes."

"Have you ever killed anybody before?" 

She looked away from him.  "Yes," she whispered.  "Three Dark wizards.  One in Romania, two in Dublin.  I don't want to talk about it."

"I've killed before, too," he admitted, surprising himself. "But I expect you knew that."  Tinuvial shook her head. 

  
"You were a Death Eater, so I rather expected that you had," she answered in a neutral tone.  She was about to say something else she abruptly changed the subject.  "Ready for the term to start?"  
  
The rest of their conversation was centered around the safe topic of the beginning of the school term and teaching.  In time, Tinuvial bid Snape good night and left him standing alone in the hallway.  He watched her close her bedroom door with just the faintest flicker of a smile on his face again.  For some reason, he felt- he _knew_- something had just been repaired in their friendship.  For the first time in God knows when, his heart felt just a little lighter.


	11. Part 10

Nightbirds  
  
And when the wind draws strong  
  
Across the cypress trees  
  
The Nightbirds cease their songs  
  
So gathers memories.  
  
- Loreena McKennitt, "Courtyard Lullaby"  
  
It was not long until the summer holidays ended. On the eve of the last night, Tinuvial paced restlessly around her classroom, feeling rather nervous about the next day. It wasn't so much that she would be teaching an entire school full of fledgling wizards and witches, but that she would be seeing her godson for the first time in nearly twelve years.  
  
Irritably, she pushed one of the tables out of her way as she walked out of her classroom. Pacing the room and worrying would do nothing. What she needed was someone to talk to. She glanced out a window and saw that Hagrid was in his cabin. If anyone could reassure her, it would be Hagrid.  
  
As she made her way down to his home, she once again saw the large, shaggy black dog by the path. She smiled slightly as he came over to her. "If I didn't know any better," she murmured, "I would have thought you were watching for me." The dog seemed to grin at her. "Well, come on," she said, motioning for the dog to follow her. But it only regarded her in an almost mischievous manner and ran off. She rolled her eyes. "Or not."  
  
She continued along her way to Hagrid's cottage and knocked on the door. "'ello, there," the giant called to her. "C'mon in."  
Tinuvial let herself in. "You know, Hagrid, I swear that dog of yours is following me around outside," she commented.  
  
"Wot? Fang?" Hagrid asked, one bushy eyebrow raised.  
  
"No, that other dog that hangs around here. Big black dog, shaggier than Fang."  
He looked confused. "I don' have another dog, `sides Fang an' Fluffy. Are you sure it's not a wolf?"  
She nodded. "This isn't a wolf, though."  
"I'll keep an eye out fer it," he said, his eyes narrowing.  
"It's never done anything," she interjected quickly. "He's just always outside when I am."  
  
"Anyway, what are yeh doin' here? I thought you were busy readyin' yer classroom," Hagrid said, changing the subject.  
"It's ready. I'm rather nervous, that's all. Tomorrow will be the first time I've seen Harry in so long." She smiled tightly. "I didn't think I would be nervous."  
" `e's a good kid, `arry is," he said proudly. "A lot of James in `im. Yeh'll see that." He looked at her shrewdly. "Are yeh gonna tell `im?"  
She shook her head. "What would I say? `Hello Harry, how are you doing, oh by the way, I'm your godmother.' I would rather he figured it out on his own. I wouldn't feel right saying the words." She glanced at him and smiled. "You think I should tell him, don't you?"  
Hagrid shrugged his massive shoulders. "I'm not gonna tell yeh what yeh should or shouldn' do, but if I were yeh, I would tell `im."  
Tinuvial sighed. "I wonder if everyone else feels the same way." She hesitated. "Hagrid, do you... talk to Severus much?"  
He shook his head. " `ardly ever. Why, what's happenin'?"  
"Oh, nothing," she said in a tone that meant all-too-clearly that something was happening. "It's just that...I know he doesn't get on with Harry."  
  
Hagrid sighed. "There's a lot o' reasons why the Potions Master acts like that, an' none of it `as to do with `arry `imself. " He shook his head, changing the subject as suddenly as he had before. "What've yeh been doin' with yerself, eh?" he asked in a reproving tone. "Yeh look like yeh haven' eaten in weeks!" So Hagrid escorted Tinuvial back up to the castle and ate a light dinner with her. Afterwords, he went back down to his cabin, leaving her in the Great Hall, still nervous about the next day. 


	12. Part 11

Nightbirds

And when the wind draws strong 

_Across the cypress trees_

_The Nightbirds cease their songs_

_So gathers memories._

- _Loreena McKennitt, "Courtyard Lullaby"_

The summer holidays were over before Harry had truly had a chance to relax and forget about life for even a moment.  Despite the weeks spent with the Weasley family, he was still haunted by memories of the previous term and very rarely knew complete peace from it.  In what seemed like no time at all, the changing seasons found Harry leaving the Hogwarts Express, flanked by Ron and Hermione.

  
"Firs' years!" they heard Hagrid roar over the nervous chatters.  "Firs' years over here!"    
  
"Hagrid!" Hermione called, waving to their giant friend.  Hagrid grinned and winked back at them.  Harry felt his heart lighten slightly.  
  
"See you at the feast!" Ron called to him as all the older students began to swarm towards the castle while the First Years embarked upon the traditional trip across the lake. 

"I wonder if we have any new teachers this year," Hermione mused as they walked to the castle.  "We should, because Defense Against the Dark Arts is open again."  
  
"They should just stop trying to teach us _that_," Ron commented.  "We haven't had a teacher for more than one year in a row.  I wish they'd bring Lupin back."

"Maybe this one will last longer," she said.  She pulled out her Prefect badge.  Ron winced.   
  
"Please promise me you won't act like Percy," he pleaded with her as they reached the castle.  
  
Within minutes, Harry was seated between Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall.  He looked around the familiar setting contentedly, feeling happier at that moment than he had for two months.  Now that he was actually back at Hogwarts, he felt as though things could be right again.

He felt a sharp pain in his side as Hermione dug her elbow into him.  "What?" he asked.  
  
She pointed.  "Look."  
  


Harry followed her finger to the table for the professors.  He looked at each adult seated, finding nothing to give him pause until he reached Professor Snape.   Harry remembered what Dumbledore had rather cryptically him to do told the previous term.  Snape looked as thoroughly unpleasant as usual, but Harry directed his attention to the rather young witch seated beside him. She was looking in Harry's direction with an odd look in her eyes, as if she were not even aware she was staring at him.   Harry returned the gaze uneasily.  She gave a small smile and inclined her head slightly to acknowledge that she saw him.  Then she looked away and turned to speak to Snape.

"She looks nice," Hermione observed.   
  
"D'you think she's our Defense Against Dark Arts professor?" Ron asked.

  
"I suppose so, because she's the only new one that I see," she answered.  

"She is," Harry said suddenly.  For some reason, he knew that she was their new instructor.  He looked at her shrewdly.  Her face was strangely familiar, but he did not say so to the others.

The doors to the Great Hall opened and the First Years came shuffling in, awe etched on their faces as they took in the vast room and it's inhabitants.  They looked so young.  Harry could hardly believe he, too, had once been in their place, even though it had only been four years earlier.    He felt so much older than they.

Professor McGonagell placed the Sorting Hat and stool in front of the teachers' table.  The Hat seemed to pull up and began to sing.

_A bit odd I look, a little worn,_

_Yet half a moment, _

_You'll know how I was born._

_Four wizards great and proud,_

_Hufflepuff the loyal_

_Ravenclaw the sage_

_Slytherin the sly _

_And Gryffindor the noble_

_- the four greatest of the mage,_

_Built this school from the very earth and stone_

_Then gave parts of their minds in me a home._

_  
_The song went on, but Harry found his attention drifting back to the witch who was apparently their new professor.   Something was also achingly familiar about her, but Harry couldn't place her.

  
Dumbledore stood up after all the First years were Sorted.  "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," he said.  "I trust that you will learn as much as you can and enjoy yourselves."  His eyes twinkled.  "And behave yourselves." He took a long glance at Fred and George, who both wore suspiciously innocent expressions on their faces.

  
"As you may or may not have noticed, we have had an addition to our faculty," he continued.  "May I present your new Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor, Professor Tinuvial Elarith."  The witch smiled at the students.  Some of the older students (led by Fred and George) began to cheer.

"A few words before we get on with the feast," Dumbledore said as the applause died away.  "There have been a few changes to our school this year, but nothing horrible, I can assure you."  
  
"In the first place, visits to Hogsmeade will be monitored a bit closer."  There were several moans and groans, mainly from the twins, but Dumbledore waved them off.    
  


"Quidditch matches will resume this year."  The moaning was swiftly overtaken by loud cheers, which Harry joined in on whole-heartedly.  He glanced over at the Slytherin table and saw Malfoy looking at him coldly.  

"And, one other thing," Dumbledore added.  "Because of its popularity last year, we shall have another Christmas dance on your last day of terms."  _Everyone_ roared their approval this time.    
  
"And now…the feast!"  With that, the tables were filled from one end to the other with the most delicious food many had ever tasted.

The food was wonderful as usual, but the moods of the older students were a bit more subdued than usual.  More than once, eyes would flick over to the Hufflepuff table and only once or twice were the words "Triwizard Tournament" mentioned, but only in low murmurs and whispers.  Still, it was a rather festive spirit, despite the memories of last term, and it was with some regrets that the students all left the feast and headed to their towers.

  
Unfortunately, Harry's good mood was dampened by the arrival of one of his least favorite people.    
  
"Hello Potter, Weasley," Malfoy said in his cold, drawling voice.  "So, Weasley, your father's Minister now, isn't he?  Just goes to show how downhill the Ministry has gone."  
  
Ron's face went scarlet.  "Bugger off, Malfoy," he said from behind clenched teeth.   
  
Malfoy smiled thinly. "Does this mean you'll be able to afford to have second-hand robes instead of third-hand?"  he continued to barb at him.  
  
Ron clenched his teeth, but before anything else could be said, a new voice was heard.  At some point, Professor Elarith had come up behind them.  
  
"Problems, gentlemen?" she asked mildly, one eyebrow raised as she stared sharply at them.

Malfoy smirked.  "Nothing at all…professor."  He stormed off and joined his Slytherin cronies.  She paid no attention to his insolence, but turned her attention back to Harry, Ron, and Hermione.  Up close, they could see that Professor Elarith while young and very pretty, with her black hair and fair features, she looked quite tired.  Her eyes more than anything spoke most eloquently on how much she'd seen in her life.  
  
"Er…thanks," Ron said awkwardly.  "But it wasn't anything."  
  
"Yeah," Harry added.  "Malfoy's a git, that's all."  
  
"Malfoy?" she asked rather sharply.  She seemed to think for a few minutes.  "Yes," she murmured to herself.  "Yes, he would be about the right age."  She shook her head as if to clear it and smiled at them.

"You might want to get to your tower now," she suggested.  "I'll see the three of you Wednesday in class."  And she walked away from them, joining the throng of teachers.

  
Hermione frowned.  "How did she know that we had her class Wednesday?" she asked.  "We didn't tell her our year."  
  
Ron's eyes flicked over to Harry. "Maybe she recognized us from somewhere." What he meant was, _maybe she recognized Harry._  
  


"She seems nice," Hermione said, changing the subject hurriedly.  "Even Snape looked like he got on with her."  
  
Ron snorted.  "That might not be a good thing."  
  
"No," Harry said.  "I think Hermione's right."  Somehow, he knew instinctively that this woman, Tinuvial Elarith, was someone they could all trust.  Maybe it was something in her quiet smile or her wise, calm eyes, but Harry felt completely at ease with her.  
  
The Gryffindors reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.  "Willowisp!" Hermione called to her and the portrait swung open.

At the staircase, Hermione parted ways with Harry and Ron as she headed up to the girl's dormitory.  Harry was elated when he reached their familiar dormitory.  Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, and Neville Longbottom joined the two as they all unpacked.  After talking and catching up with the others for a bit, Harry finally fell asleep, relieved to be home at last.


	13. Part 12

It was a strange feeling, to be standing up in front of so many people.  Tinuvial felt extraordinarily awkward the first few times she held class, but as she grew more comfortable with what she was doing and saying, she actually began to enjoy herself.

  
"Can anyone tell me what a rusalka is?" she asked her Third year Gryffindor class.  They were all rather shy around the new professor, of whom nobody knew anything about.  Many shook their heads.

  
"Alright…"  she pulled out a large book from one her many shelves.  "A rusalka," she began, flipping through the pages, "is literally the spirit of a woman who had been drowned or died violently in the water.  Their purpose is to attract unsuspecting males and lure them into the water, quickly followed by a rather unpleasant death." Some of the students laughed.  She found the page she was looking for.

  
"For the most part, they may just look like a beautiful woman swimming…_but_…"she held up the book.  "This is how they look when the enchantment is gone."  A few of them gasped amidst the assorted "ews!" that her class brought forth.  "Now _that's_ not a pretty sight, is it?"  She glanced at the greenish, moss-covered skeletal figure waving flirtatiouslyin the picture.  "But, remember…they are, essentially, lost souls, and are cursed to remain in the water.  But don't let pity overwhelm your senses…they are quite dangerous."

One raised his hand.  "Have you ever seen one?" he asked excitedly.

  
She nodded.  "Once.  I was in Romania and one just rose up from the lake I was at with the people I was with.  Luckily, all the men I was with knew what she was and were able to ignore her.  Before we left, though, we put a spell on the spot, which would repel people from going too close."  
  
"Couldn't you have just killed it?" one of the other students asked curiously.  
  
Tinuvial looked at the class seriously.  "Now this is something I need to make all of you understand," she said quietly.  "Death is absolute.  Once you extinguish the life from something, no matter what it is, it cannot be brought back.  If we would have "killed" the rusalka, who knows what would have happened.  It was better that we enchanted the spot and persuaded her to leave us alone."    She looked squarely at the student who asked the question.  "Don't be so quick to deal out death. Do you have the power to deal out death and life?  One balances the other, the scale must never be tipped."  The student looked away from her eyes.  
  
Tinuvial sighed and put the book down.  "We shall study creatures of this sort throughout the year.  Other creatures, such as grindylow, we may have a more hands-on study, depending on if I can find the creature." She smiled.  "Do you remember Professor Lupin?  I plan to take a hint from him.  His year with you has obviously been one of your more productive ones."

It wasn't long until the class was over and the students left, talking quietly amongst themselves.  Tinuvial looked around the empty classroom and sighed.  Her second day was over.  She flicked her wand and the chairs and tables straightened themselves out.  Tomorrow, she would meet with Harry's class.  She was strangely nervous about this one.  After her initial tension about what sort of teacher she would turn out to be, she was fine.  But this class…

She heard movement at her doorway and turned around to see Snape standing there.  "Coming to see if I survived?" she asked dryly. 

"I thought I should walk with you to dinner, seeing as how you can't seem to remember on your own."  

She rolled her eyes at the sarcasm.  "I was busy last night.  Please forgive me."  She glanced at him, one eyebrow raised.  "What, did no one else speak to you at dinner?" she asked archly. "Come off it, surely I'm not your only source of entertainment at mealtimes?"

He didn't answer.  Since they had made amends over his accusations, they really had not spoken much, even at mealtimes.  Now that the term had begun, he realized that they would not see each other as much.  And (being honest with himself) he did admit that she was one of the few people he actually wanted to see every day.

  
She watched him and smiled.  "Alright, I'll come to dinner," she said in a rather amused tone.  "Even if I do have mounds of work I should be getting done.  How on _earth_ do the rest of you manage?"  
  
"You have the disadvantage of not knowing what class can do what.  And yours, in particular, have been left a bit of a mess."

The Great Hall was filling up rapidly with students and faculty.  Snape and Tinuvial took their seats at the faculty table and, minutes later, the meal began.    They didn't speak as they ate, but he did watch her when she wasn't looking.  She definitely looked healthier and was not so much of a shadow of a woman anymore.    He would quickly avert his gaze when it looked as though she might see him staring.

"So, Tinuvial," Dumbledore said to her, "how are you holding up?  We missed you last night."  
  
"Is that all anyone can talk about?" she asked, glancing at Snape.  "Someone already got all over me about missing dinner last night."  
  
Dumbledore looked at Snape, amused.  "Did they, now?"  
  
"Anyway, I'm doing fine," she said, putting down her fork and knife, apparently done.  "I have some of my older classes tomorrow, which will be…interesting, to say the least."  Dumbledore's gaze never left her and she knew that he was aware of what she meant, in particular.  
  
He smiled warmly.  "I've heard some of the students talking about your class already.  Favorably, I will say."  
  
"Well, I'm glad.  I really was concerned about how I could handle a bunch of adolescents.  I never thought that I possessed the temperament for it."  She glanced at the Slytherin table.  "Of course, I'm sure I haven't met some of Hogwarts's more illustrious students yet."   Snape looked at her sharply, his expression darkening.  Of course, _he_ would know who she meant.  Part of him, as head of Slytherin House, wanted to protest her stab.  However, he remained silent.  Hopefully, that would never become an issue between them.  
  
After the dinner, they left the Hall together.  This time, she insisted that she really did have work to finish and left him for her classroom.  He watched the door close firmly and walked away.

***

Harry, Ron, and Hermione filed into the familiar Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, rather excited.  Their last few professors of this subject- Lupin and Moody (well, the Moody imposter)- have been extraordinary, and they heard that Professor Elarith was at least as interesting as they were.

"I heard that she's been all around the world," Ron said as they sat down.  "Wonder what she's been doing for so long?"  
  
Harry shrugged.  Hermione pulled out her books, papers, and a fresh quill.  "I wonder what our focus will be this year," Harry mused.

  
"Magical traps and advanced creatures," Hermione said without looking up.  "That's what all Fifth years have to learn."  She bit her lip, looking at one of her books.  "I wonder if she'll have wanted us to be familiar with _Magical Dangers_.  I only read through it twice."  Ron rolled his eyes.  
  
"Is that book even on the list?" he asked, pulling out his own books.  
  
Hermione shook her head.  "But that book is highly recommended by the author of _An Overview of Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts_."  
  
Ron groaned.  "It hasn't even been a week into the term yet," he said in anguish, looking at her hopelessly.  
  
The class went quiet all of a sudden as Professor Elarith walked in.  She had one of those compelling sort of airs that made everyone notice her as soon as she walked into a room.  It had been like that at the last few meals, where the buzz of the students would die down noticeable for a second or two when she entered the room, usually accompanied by the unlikely companion of Professor Snape.  Harry found it strange that the two usually came to meals together and left at the same time and hoped against hope that she was not like the Potions Master.  However, he remembered that she had not tried to shift the blame onto Ron or him when she caught Malfoy giving them trouble.

"Hello, everyone," she said, standing in front of the class, her hands behind her back.  She wore the typical black Hogwarts faculty robe over her dress and her long, curly black hair was pulled back at the nape of her neck.  "In case you've forgotten, I'm Professor Elarith and this is your Fifth year Defense Against the Dark Arts class.  If you didn't know that, then…see me."  She raised an eyebrow with her last remark, surveying the class.  "Seriously, I've already had a few students forget where they were supposed to be."  
  
"Anyway, I suppose the best way to start our first lesson together is to tell you what we shall be studying this year.  As with every other year, there is a specific focus.  This year we shall delve a bit deeper into magical and dangerous beasts…" she paused, her eyes sparkling,  " though I'm sure you get enough of that in Care of Magical Creatures.  I know Hagrid."  The class laughed rather nervously.  "And we shall also focus on common traps and webs the Dark Arts often spin for the unwary wizard or witch.  But, as I've done with every other class so far, I'm going to give you the chance to ask me questions later.  About myself, what I've done…anything, so long as it's not inane."  
  
"First, however, roll call."

  
And so Professor Elarith called out the names of each student.  When she got to "Granger, Hermione," she paused and smiled at her.  "I've heard some wonderful things about you from other professors, dear."  
  
She also stopped when she said "Longbottom, Neville."  The round-faced boy looked up at her nervously, but she smiled warmly at him.  "I hear you're good at Herbology, Neville.  You'll be pleased to know some of our sections deal with plants."  Neville smiled somewhat.  
  
And then she called Harry's name.  She did not say anything, but merely paused and looked at him oddly.  Her eyes did not do the familiar flick to his forehead, but held contact with his own eyes for a second.  She broke the gaze to glance down at her list of names.  She continued on with roll, not pausing again.

"You don't need to take notes on this," she said, pulling out a book.  "We'll cover this all more in-depth later.  I just want to give you an idea on what exactly I mean when I say magical traps."  
  
"A common trap that I've run into many times is the Florana Web, usually done in the forest.  What it is, literally, is a web that blends in with the plants and other forest settings.  When a wizard walks into it, it will wrap itself around him, so that he is unable to move.  A physically stronger wizard or witch can easily break it's binds, but for the rest of us, it's a simple spell.  In fact, you know it already."  She looked around at the class.  "Can anyone guess what it is?"

Not surprisingly, Hermione's hand shot in the air.  Professor Elarith nodded at her. 

"_Diffindo_," Hermione said.   
  
"Exactly."  Professor Elarith cupped her hands together.  "That will split the web right down the middle.  But you have to crawl out quickly, before _they_ notice."  
  
"Another trap, a really fickle one, is the Sonicario Spell." She made a face.  "I've had to deal with that one once or twice.  If you're chasing someone and they cast it, it sends flurries of sounds all around you, so you really can't depend on your hearing.  It sounds small, but it is extraordinarily distracting.  The spell for that one is generally called the One-Way, because it keeps you going in the direction you need to be going. The word for that is _Converno_."

And on she went, occasionally illustrating her brief overview with stories or personal experiences.  From the way she spoke, Harry garnered that Professor Elarith had seen and done a _lot_.

"Now," she said, putting away the various books she had pulled out with a flick of her wand, "it's your turn.  You can ask me anything you like, but, as I said… use your best judgement."  She looked to the back and nodded to whoever's hand was raised.  It was Parvati Patil.  
  
"Did you go to Hogwarts?" she asked rather shyly.  
  
Professor Elarith smiled.  "That I did.  In fact, I was here around the same time as Professor Snape."  
  
Harry's heart jumped slightly. _She must've known my mum and dad…_

Ron's hand shot up.  "Did you play Quidditch?" he demanded.

  
She shook her head, rather regretfully.  "Always wanted to, though.  I was a pretty good flier and absolutely loved playing for fun, though.  But the Gryffindor Quidditch team was always solid in my years."  
  
"So you were a Gryffindor?" Dean Thomas asked.  
  
"Did you ever doubt it?" she asked in mock surprise.  "By Merlin, what did you think I was, a Slytherin?"  She winked at them.  "Don't tell Snape I said that."

Hermione rose her hand.  "What did you do before coming here?"  
  
Professor Elarith smiled slightly.  "I was an Auror for a few years after school."  
  
"What about after that?" Parvati asked.  
  
The witch's face darkened a little.  "I guess…you could say I was staying with my mother's family," she said rather vaguely.  "I was sick for a long time, you see."  From the corner of his eye, he could see Parvati open her mouth again, probably to ask what her sickness was, but a nudge from Lavender Brown kept her quiet.  This was obviously not a subject she was willing to broach any deeper.

For the most part, the questions were about what sort of creatures she had seen and fought in her travels, an apparently safe subject, as all traces of her former discomfort were gone.  It didn't seem long until they were leaving her classroom, with (as Ron was delighted to point out) no homework at all.  
  
"What do you think?" Harry asked them.

  
"About Professor Elarith?" Hermione asked.  "I like her."  
  
"I think she knows what she's talking about, unlike _some_ professors we've had," Ron said, rolling his eyes.  "Remember what Fred and George said last year about Moody?  That he's been there?  I think that's true for her, too."  The others agreed, Harry not bothering to remind Ron that their professor last year had not been Moody, but a transformed Barty Crouch, Jr.  

  
There was, however, something extraordinarily familiar about her.  He said so to Ron and Hermione.  Ron merely shrugged.  Hermione, however, had a logical reason.  "Well, she obviously knew Professor Lupin," she said.  "Maybe it's just the way she treats everyone."  
  
Harry frowned.  "Maybe."  It still didn't settle it in his mind, though.    The rest of the day was quite typical, with them going to dinner, as Defense Against the Dark Arts was their afternoon class.  It ended with the usual socializing in the Gryffindor tower common room. But, still, throughout the day, Harry would stop and wonder where he could possibly have seen Professor Elarith before.

The next day, however, seemed to have the worst going for it.  Double Potions, Harry's least favorite hours of any time.  Professor Snape, despite everything that had happened the previous year, would surely be as horrid as ever.

Yet, strangely enough, Snape seemed oddly restrained with his usually most hated class.  Oh, he was still sarcastic and nasty to most of the students, but he never once addressed Harry.  He found this odd, as making life miserable for him seemed to be one of Snape's favorite past-times.

Homework from Potions was as heavy and unforgiving as ever, but Harry could not help but feel that Snape was deliberately avoiding him.  For that matter, he didn't even say a word to Ron or Hermione, whom he usually enjoyed calling a show-off know-it-all.  Even when Ron accidentally dropped a book onto the cold, stone floor with a resounding THUD, Snape did not remark, merely watched with cool eyes as he picked it back up.  Ron dropping a book on the floor any other year would have been a detention-worthy offense.

Ron and Hermione were as mystified as Harry.  "Did you see that?"  Ron asked in a sort of shock as they went up the stone steps.  "I kept waiting for him to say 'Ten point from Gryffindor.' "  
  
Harry nodded.  "He didn't seem as horrible as usual."  
  
"Must be off to a slow start this year," Ron grunted.  " 'Miss Granger, when I ask for the help of an arrogant boaster, I will call on you,' " he added, doing an uncanny imitation of Snape.  Hermione and Harry both laughed. 

  
"Maybe what happened last year changed him," Hermione said thoughtfully.  Ron shook his adamantly.   
  


"No, he's off to a slow start.  Ten to one, he'll be back to making life miserable for us next week, plus an added bonus because he didn't do enough damage today."  Harry laughed and Hermione joined in to a lesser degree. 


	14. Part 13

The first week of classes had ended, much to the relief of the students and teachers alike.  Friday evening, an audible and collective sigh of relief could be heard all around the castle.  Many of the professors went to Hogsmeade that night, but a few, including Tinuvial, stayed behind.

The young professor felt particularly drained that evening.  She was leaning back in the over-stuffed chair in her chambers, staring unseeingly into the fire.  She had seen Harry at last and spoke to him.  Marline's beard, what a shock that had been!  He was virtually identical to her old friend.  For a second, she would have sworn by Morgaine le Fey that she had been seeing a ghost.

  
And then there was the other:  Draco Malfoy.  Although he was merely a boy and certainly to threat to her, she had shrank back inwardly.   The spitting image of Lucius Malfoy.  She remembered Lucius's attack on her.  It had taken awhile for her after that to stop cringing whenever a man was nearby.  Although no physical damage had been done, the mere fact of his _intents_ had frightened her.  It would not be until the beginning of her Seventh year that she allowed another man to even touch her.  
  
She smiled somewhat as her train of thought branched off into an entirely new branch, onto earlier and happier times.  It was the night of James's and Lily's wedding.  The bride and groom had long since left the party, yet the celebration to their health and safety (especially their safety) continued.  Tinuvial felt as though life could never be more wonderful than this.  She had served as maid of honor to Lily, whom had never looked more radiant and beautiful as she did that day.  
  
Yet Tinuvial herself had been almost as lovely and she felt it for once.  Her black curly hair was elegantly pulled off her neck and back and the long, deep red dress she wore accentuated her height and the gentle curves that had gradually developed on her slender body.  All day she had received many shy requests for dance- so many, in fact, that she hardly had time to dance with her own partner- Sirius Black.

Finally the crowd had dispersed, leaving only a very tired, yet exhilarated wedding party.  It took only minutes to clean up the mess and everyone began to take their leave of each other.  Tinuvial was planning to ride her broomstick back to London, but Sirius stopped her.

  
_"Where are you staying tonight?" he asked._

_  
She shrugged.  "Probably at the Hogsmeade inn.  They usually keep a room open for me when I need it."  Being an orphan with no family left, Dumbledore had made arrangements for her to stay at Hogsmeade for the summers._

_  
Sirius smiled.  "You know, I only had the first dance with you tonight," he said casually.  He held out a hand to her and bowed rather formerly._

_  
"But there's no music," Tinuvial said, laughing slightly.  
  
He shrugged.  "Doesn't matter."  She gave him her hand and he pulled her back out into the clearing where the massive party had earlier been.  
  
Although she had danced with many men that night, she had always kept a slight distance from them.  The one dance she had been with Sirius had been the ritual opening dance: formal and rather stiff.  This, though…he did not give her much space at all.  It was close and more intimate than anything she had ever done.  He held her closer, on hand holding hers, the other on her lower back.  His dark features were fixated entirely on her.  He moved her slowly, as if they had all the time in the world._

_  
The closeness was beginning to grow more heated to Tiuvial.  Strange feelings were jolting through her veins when he brought her even closer to him, nearly touching entirely.  He lowered his head carefully to hers._

_There was nothing at all rough or forceful in his kiss, just gentle and tender, yet she felt the sensation all through her body.  She had never been kissed before- _truly_ kissed, not the fumbling lip-smacks twelve and thirteen year-olds try, or the rough violation of Lucius Malfoy three years earlier.  Yet in one second, Sirius had brought down all her defenses._

_Time may have stopped for all Tinuvial knew.  She was so locked into Sirius that Voldemort himself may have turned up and she would never have known.  At last, reluctantly, they parted.  Sirius did not let her go, but stroked her cheek gently.  "Do you want to stay with me tonight?" he asked softly.   There was a hidden promise and meaning in his words.  _

_  
Tinuvial looked into his eyes.  While he had been at Hogwarts, he had been quite popular with the girls and went through them quickly, a bit of gentlemanly rake.  Yet his eyes held only sincerity and tenderness, not lust and impatience.  She was not sure entirely what to expect would happen later on, but she knew it would change things._

_  
_Things had changed.  In the morning, she left his home and returned to Hogsmeade.  He came to see her whenever he had a chance and Tinuvial began to wonder if she were in love with him.  For the moment, she was.  
  
But then James and Lily died.  And Sirius was sent to Azkaban.  No one had known about them.  Never had she felt so ashamed and betrayed, yet on some level, her girlish love for him continued until she herself was nearly destroyed.   
  
She opened her eyes and realized that there were tears running down her face.   It wasn't meant to be, apparently, that she and Sirius could just continue on the way they were and stay in a fantasy of love.  Voldemort and his people had ruined that.  A burning anger grew in her belly.  He had taken away everything she loved and replaced it with a cold emptiness.  It was alright to look back on the time she had with Sirius with tenderness and regret, but her passion of that time had faded away long ago.  
  
Now, it was just another reason to protect Harry, their one hope, with all she had, even if it meant her life. 


	15. Part 14

Tinuvial had no way of knowing it, but her window was being watched that evening as she floated, lost, in a reverie of happier times.  The large black dog she had often seen hanging around outside, the one that did not, apparently, belong to Hagrid, stood guard in the forest, his black eyes fixed firmly on where her room was.

  
He did not move a muscle until he saw the tall witch pass by the window.  He leaned forward, as though that small movement could garner him a better look.  She looked, to his keen eyes, pensive and, ultimately, sad and lonely. As the shadows grew deeper, the shaggy black dog changed into a tall, dark-haired man, sitting alone in the trees.

  
Sirius Black had not a clue how long he had lurked around the edges of Hogwarts, always shadowing Tinuvial, standing guard over any bit of threat to her.  Even after all these years, especially the ones in Azkaban, the sight of her was still as enthralling to him as it was when they were younger.  
  
For years he had toiled in his misplaced guilt, blaming himself for James and Lily's deaths and agonizing over whether Tinuvial, too, hated him as much as he hated himself.  The thought was torturous, yet (in his mind) a fitting punishment for what he did in allowing Wormtail to take charge of their secret.

  
And when he thought she was dead… the memory of that moment of news made him shudder.  The dementors nearly overtook him that night.  The only thing that kept him sane for those days was the thought that now she was dead, she knew the truth.  Did she know now, then?  Surely Dumbledore told her.

The sound of footsteps in the distant made him start suddenly and change back into the innocuous black dog.  He knew he had to be more careful now that the students were back.  Harry and his friends would surely recognize him right away…the thought of his godson put a wolfish smile on the dog's face.  So like Prongs it was almost frightening.

The grin turned a little evil when he considered Snape.  The greasy git was so disturbed by the little "presents" and reminders Sirius had been leaving him, although it irritated him to no end when Snape accused Tinuvial of it.  Of course she didn't do it!  Sirius, however, was not as forgiving and just didn't like the man.  Actually, it ran a little deeper than it.  It was closer to the truth to say that he detested Snape.  Especially the way he seemed to move a little closer to _her_ everyday.  Why did she trust him?  She had no reason.  Severus Snape and their "friendship" had caused her nothing but grief as far as he knew.

  
It was time to leave.  He had been gone for a while now, he was sure.  As much as he wanted to see her, the thought of a warm bed was inviting.  He would leave Hogwarts, then Disapparate to Remus's home. He gave her window one final, longing look and ran away.

***

Remus Lupin watched mildly as Sirius ate madly about three hours later.  "You're going to get caught on the grounds eventually," he said in a neutral tone.    
  
"No I won't," Sirius said, absolutely ravenous.  He tended to not eat when traveling as a dog.  Rats were not that tasty and it was hard to cook with four paws.

"Dumbledore probably already knows you're there."  
  
"Probably."  
  
Remus sighed.  He could understand why Sirius sneaked onto Hogwarts.  He, too, missed Tinuvial horribly- she had been so warm and kind when they were younger and when he thought she was dead, he was absolutely devastated.  However, it was trickier for him.  It was easy to lose control during the full moon.  He also wanted to see Harry and the rest of the students, too.  He didn't realize how attached he had become to all of them, even some of the Slytherins. But only some.

Sirius put down his plate.  "You should see her now," he said softly, his eyes going distant.  "There's something different about her… she still looks the same, but older, now, and wiser."  
  
"She had a rough time," Remus said dryly.  "I wonder why she'd look a little older." He glanced ruefully in the mirror at his graying brown hair.  Rough times…he understood entirely.  He was worried, though, about Sirius.  He was still obviously thinking that Tinuvial would be the same as she was when she was seventeen and eighteen.  He knew that she and Sirius had been going together then.  He hadn't been entirely happy (he felt she was much too young then…she always brought out the protective older brother in him, especially after Tobias died), but knew that Sirius would never hurt her.  
  
But she had to have changed since then.  He saw her once after the funeral of James and Lily and was shocked by the transformation.  Her features had been bleak and sharp, her eyes dead.  Nothing would stand in her way, she was quite nearly as feared as Mad-Eye Moody before she disappeared.  Deep down, Remus knew that there was no possible way for her to have _not_ changed.  
  


"Is everything else alright at Hogwarts?" he asked Sirius.  
  
He nodded.  "It seems to be.  Harry is in good health, and so are Ron and Hermione.  I'm tempted to meet them at Hogsmeade again at their next visit."  
  
Remus sighed again.  "It's the waiting that's driving me mad.  On one hand, I want to know what's going to happen, because you _know_ that something will happen this year.  I can feel it."  The other man nodded, his face darkening.  
  
"I can't help but feel that we're going to be completely blind again when it happens," Sirius said slowly.  "Last term, what happened then…" he winced as if a sudden pain had cut through him.  "I should have _known_ that something like that would happen."  It was obvious that he blamed himself.  "It was right in front of us the entire time.  Barty Crouch, just planning away under our noses.  It's amazing how lucky we were, though."  
  
Remus nodded, saddened.  "I knew Cedric Diggory fairly well.  I couldn't believe it, but…"  the horrible, cold, cruel words they were both thinking stayed unspoken. 

_…at least it wasn't Harry._

  
Sirius looked away, suddenly fascinated by a hanging on the wall, and Remus looked to the fire.  The threat- the always-present malevolence of Voldemort was hanging over their heads once again.  And those they cared about were probably right in the middle of the danger once more.

***

Defense Against the Dark Arts was definitely a popular class for all the students.   They found Professor Elarith to be as warm and understanding as Professor Lupin and she knew what she was talking about.  Only Draco Malfoy and the Slytherins had negative things to say about her.  
  
"A woman!" he had said scornfully one day, leaving the class.  "Why should I listen to anything _she_ has to say?"  It was a weak complaint and he knew it.

"Because I control your marks for this class, Mr. Malfoy," a voice said pleasantly from behind him.  "I would advise that you _do_ listen to what I say (and listen well).  Your parents wouldn't be pleased if you failed the class, now would they?"  The threat was hidden in a layer of kind words.  She smiled sweetly at him, one eyebrow cocked as if ready for battle.  He glowered at her (Crabbe and Goyle followed suit) and stalked from the room.  

  
But apart from Malfoy and his gang, everyone liked the young witch, especially the Gryffindors, due to the fact that she had been one.  Yet Harry was still bothered by her.  Why did she look so bloody familiar?    
  
"Maybe you've seen her picture somewhere before," Hermione suggested.  

  
"Or at Hogsmeade," Ron added.  "Who knows, you get all types there."  
  
Harry merely shrugged.  "I'm almost positive I've seen her before."  
  
"You could ask Dumbledore," Hermione said.  "Maybe he could help."  
  
Harry agreed, but knew that he would feel foolish asking the Headmaster something like that.  It was such a small thing and it was just a feeling he had. So, one day, he stayed after class, telling Ron and Hermione that he just had to ask her a few questions about the assignment.  For some reason, he didn't want anyone else to know that he was this curious about who she was.  
  
When the classroom was emptied, he approached her desk with some trepidation.  "Er…Professor Elarith?"  She looked up and smiled.  
  
"Hello, Harry.  Something I can help you with?"  
  
He stared at her.  Something had just occurred to him.  "Never mind," he said quickly.  "Sorry to bother you."  He gathered his books and ran quickly from the classroom, leaving her to stare after him.  
  
His blood pounded in his ears as he darted up the stone steps to Gryffindor.  He knew where he'd seen her before…her smile, he remembered seeing _that_ before.  

  
"Lemon drops!" he gasped to the Fat Lady, whose portrait swung open.  Ignoring everyone else in the common room, he ran to his dorm.  

Luckily, it was empty. He threw his bag and books down on the floor and reached under his bed, pulling out one of his most treasured items:  the photo album Hagrid had given him at the end of his First Year.

  
He flipped through the pages; for once, ignoring all the ones that showed only his parents.  Then, he stopped suddenly and stared intently.  
  
It was his parent's wedding picture.  There they stood in the center of the happy people, laughing and smiling at each other.  He saw Sirius standing beside his father.  And beside his mother…

He studied the woman standing beside her.  She was very young, perhaps only a few years older than Harry himself was now, and she was laughing and smiling along with the rest of them.  Her face was not so pale, nor so weary, but it was unmistakably Professor Elarith.  
  
His heart thudded.   She had known his parents and, apparently, very well.  Had been in their wedding… without thinking, he scooped up the book and ran from the tower.

  
Praying he didn't run into Filch or Snape and get in trouble for running, he darted through the halls and to her classroom.  The door was still open and she still sat at her desk.  She heard him approach and looked up, startled.

  
"Harry?  Is something wrong?" she asked in concerned.  
  
He shook his head, rather winded.  He carried the book to the desk and handed it to her.  Frowning slightly, she took it.  He heard her catch her breath slightly.

  
An amazing transformation had taken place on her features.  She had a tender look on her face when she saw the picture.  "Where did you get this?" she asked quietly.  
  
"Hagrid.  Years ago."  
  
She ran a finger just over the moving picture, a pensive look on her face.  When she looked up, Harry was not very surprised to see she had tears in her eyes.  
  
"How well did you know them?" Harry asked softly, suddenly nervous.

  
She smiled…tried to smile. "Very well.  Your mother was like a sister to me…your father was as protective as my…as a brother would be."  She let out a shaky breath.  "I was her maid of honor.  She helped me through a very difficult time in my life.  Her and your father…and Sirius and Remus…"  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, unable to believe that he had found yet another link to his parents.  
  
"What would I say, Harry?" she asked in a reasonable tone. "That I knew them?"  
  
"That you were friends with them!"  
  
She hesitated and glanced out the window.  "Some things," she said slowly, "are harder to say than you think.  You may think words are just words that can do no harm, but to say something like that aloud…Harry, it's very hard.  When I remember them, I remember wonderful times, but I also remember when they died and what happened to us all."  She looked at him.  Harry had always thought her eyes were a gray-ish blue, but now they were a luminous violet.  "But maybe I should have told you.  Or is it better this way?  You've known me now for nearly two months and, I hope, you like me.  What would have happened if I told you right away that I was a close friend to your parents?  That I'm your…" she choked up suddenly.  
  
"You're my what?" he asked, leaning forward.

She let out a shaky breath.  "Harry, I'm your godmother."  
  
He simply stared at her.  "You're my…my _godmother_?"  She didn't reply, but he looked deeply into her wise eyes.  And he realized what she had just said.    
  
He had known for a few years that Sirius had been his godfather, but it never occurred to him that he, perhaps, had a god_mother_ as well.   It would only make sense and he realized that he should have thought of it.  He looked at her in a new light now.  The professor-like exterior was stripped away and he saw only the friend of his parents…his godmother.  Without thinking, he threw his arms around her.

  
She started slightly when he hugged her, but after a split-second, she was returning it as fiercely as he gave it.  _Great Morgan le Fay… so this is what it's like, _she thought deliriously.   It felt so right, so natural that she be embracing the son of some of her greatest friends.  A hole that she had not even been aware of inside filled up.  And Harry, too, felt the same way.

  
Neither knew how long they stood like that.  Luckily, no one walked by the classroom.   Then, awkwardly, they parted.  
  
"Where were you for so long?" he asked.  "Were you sick like you told us, or was something else wrong?"  
  
Her eyes went bleak.  "Both."  She looked at the door and murmured a word, closing it effectively.  "What I'm about to tell you goes no further," she said intently.  "You can tell Ron and Hermione that I'm your godmother, if you wish, but only them and only _that_."  The intensity in her tone startled him.  
  
She sighed and looked down.  "I'm not entirely human, Harry.  My mother was part Fairy…not the little pixies and piskies you can see in the forest, but _real_, High Fairy.  I'm slightly more than a third.  It's hard to tell on me, but my eyes, for example.  My height and…" she brushed her hair back off her face and turned her head.  Harry was somewhat surprised to see that her ears were slightly elongated on top and pointed.  It wasn't especially noticeable, but it gave her a strangely exotic look.    
  
"My parents were both Aurors.  In fact, Alaster Moody was practically an uncle to me, as much as I saw him.  Voldemort killed them when I was in my early years of Hogwarts.  You see, there's this old, impossible legend about Fairy blood…that's it's especially powerful…" her tone was scornful.  "All nonsense, of course, but Voldemort believed anything that could give him more power."  
  
"I had a brother.  Tobias.  Voldemort killed him and tried to turn me to his side." Her voice went flat and her eyes steely.  "I saw him die.  I could not do anything.  I was very bitter and vengeful…still am.  Your parents helped me through all of that.  Then when _they _died…" she looked at him.  "Harry, I know you've been filled with anger before…it would be impossible for you to have_ not_ been.  But the depth of my hate and fury, it terrified me.  So I became an Auror."  
  
"After a year or two, I found myself cornered by three Dark Wizards and they, together, put the Cruciatus Curse on me.  Something about their combined spells and Voldemort's influence perverted the curse even more."  She began to shake slightly just at the thought. "The only way for it to have been removed was for all three of the wizards to die.  The last one was Barty Crouch, Jr.  He died a month after the Dementor's Kiss."  
  
"The only reason I lived was because I'm part Fairy and was taken to my mother's people.  That's the _only _reason I'm here now."

  
They held an intense eye contact for several moments before Harry broke it.  He remembered when Voldemort had put the Cruciatus on _him_ last year…it couldn't have been more than ten seconds… but he would honestly rather die than feel that terrible pain again.    
  
She stood up abruptly.  "Please don't tell _anyone_ about what I just told you," she said.  "There's almost as big a stigma to Faeries as there are to werewolves, even though I'm not full-blooded.  They aren't always nice, you see."  She smiled wryly.  "Maybe that's why I can be so violent."  She glanced at Harry.    
  
"There's something else, too, that I think I can tell you."  She moved a little closer to him.  "I know you don't like Sev…_Professor Snape_ much, but he's not what you think he is.  He was there when Tobias died…in fact, he held me back from running in front of Tobias before Voldemort killed him.  And he helped me before…" her eyes clouded over, reflecting the grayness of the sky.  "I'd rather not say what happened, but he saved me then, from something terrible.  He was my friend, Harry.  And he still is.   Sirius and the others, but especially Sirius, never understood it.  They thought he was just a nasty, bitter person. Let's be honest, he isn't the warmest of people and can be nasty and is, in fact, very bitter, but not for why most people think.  Life wasn't kind to him, either."  She looked at him.  "So please, just keep that in mind.  I know he doesn't make it easy…believe me, my patience is often stretched with him.  But evil he's not." 

"But do you trust him?" Harry asked impulsively.  It was very important to him.

  
"Yes," she said without hesitation.  "I trust Severus Snape as much as I can trust _anyone_." 


	16. Part 15

Sirius slowly lowered the letter to the table, an unreadable expression on his face.  " 'bout bloody time," he whispered hoarsely.  A strange, knowing grin broke out over his face, a partially feral smile that quite plainly showed the dog in him.

"Is that enough to waylay your restlessness?" Remus asked mildly.  The man appeared healthier now that the full moon was past, his face no longer so gaunt and pale.

"_Just_ enough," Sirius said.  "I won't be satisfied until I can actually talk to Harry.  He's been having those dreams again."  _Or visions_, he corrected himself silently.

"Yes, you told me," the other man answered.  His expression was rather melancholy.  "It's not just him- I want to see the other children again."  His tone was wistful and- Sirius couldn't help but notice- bitter.  He knew how much teaching had meant to him.

However the thought of the loss of Remus's job led to Snape and Sirius bit back his anger.  He truly detested that greasy bastard.  However, his thoughts were apparently plainly illustrated on his face as Remus seemed to sense (as he usually did) what was going through his mind.

"Sirius," he said in a rather stern voice, "do _not_ stir up any trouble with Snape.  If anything, for Harry's sake in Potions.  And the rest of the Gryffindors, for that matter."  
  
"He doesn't dare treat Harry as he used to, not with Tinuvial there."  But at the thought of the woman, his attitude softened.  He sighed.  "And I want to see _her _again- but I want to actually talk to her, not just watch her from outside."  
  
Remus looked closely at him.  "You still love her."  A statement, not a question.   
  
Sirius would not answer or look at him.  

Remus sighed. "Why do I think things are going to be unnecessarily complicated now?" he groaned.  He picked up the letter from Dumbledore and threw it in the fire.  As he watched the flames brown, then blacken the edges of the curling paper, Sirius still did not answer.

***

It was the weekend before Halloween and Tinuvial was pacing the halls of Hogwarts restlessly like a cat trapped in a cage.  It would happen in two days… things would be completely different from here out.  The letter from Arthur Weasley had come three nights ago, granting permission for this to be done.  It would never have happened under Cornelius Fudge.

It was not the ceremony itself she feared.  No…it was her strength, or lack thereof.  She had long since stopped using Snape's concoctions…she was naturally skittish about using potions.  Yet, she had been feeling not quite up to her standard lately, more drained and tired.  It did not show, but she suspected Snape knew.  In the last week, she had come to dinner only twice, having nearly collapsed in bed after classes ended for the day.  But he would bring her dinner without question or comment, accepting her feeble excuses of lingering illnesses.  However, she knew that he would not stand aside as he had been doing for much longer if she did not improve.  She kept reassuring Dumbledore that she would be fine, yet she doubted he was convinced either.  She knew that she wasn't.

Harry, too, was worried, she knew.  The boy almost always came to see her on days when she would not normally see the Fifth Year Gryffindors.  Twice today, he had asked if she were alright and made some remarks about how tired she had been looking lately.  She had merely smiled, made some excuse about a sudden bout of insomnia at night, and reminded him gently of a fast-approaching exam, plus his OWLs.

On the other hand, if something were _truly_ wrong, Dumbledore would have long ago seen it.  If he didn't think she could handle it, he would undoubtedly refuse to let her participate.  So she resolved to no longer worry.

  
But the dreams… great Merlin, the dreams were destroying what little rest she could get now.

  
A sudden noise from behind made her whirl around.  Mrs. Norris sat complacently on the base of a suit of armor, glaring accusingly at her.  Tinuvial clenched her jaw.  "Oh, bugger off," she snapped as she passed by, resisting the urge to kick the feline down the hall. Admittedly, the thought was attractive and would cause the ever-tiresome Filch deep consternation; however, it would serve no purpose but to vent her mounting nerves. 

Without really thinking, she fairly flew down the steps leading to the Potions classroom.  Snape merely glanced up at her as she stormed in, irritable and edgy.  "Hello, Professor Elarith," he said shortly. Several Fourth Year Hufflepuffs were cleaning up a gooey mess from the previous class.  The students looked up at her with please for help in their eyes.  Tinuvial looked sharply at Snape, one eyebrow raised, a questioning gaze that he stonily returned.  She sighed.  Morgan le Fey knows what had happened.

"Can I help you with anything?" Snape asked, returning to his work.

"No, but I believe I shall help our students finish up and go to dinner," she said with a tone that even he would not argue with.  With her skilled and quick hands, the goo was quickly dispersed of and it was with relief that the Hufflepuffs profusely thanked her and ran from the classroom.

"So, do you have an actual purpose for being here, or are you just roaming the castle playing the Samaritan?" he asked disparagingly.  
  


"Playing the Samaritan," she replied tartly.  "But I actually came here because I wanted to talk to someone."  
  
"So you chose me.  How flattering."  His eyes glinted strangely.  "Should I be honored by this visit?" There was no humor to be found in his voice.

She narrowed her eyes.  "I wouldn't suggest starting an argument with me today, Severus," she said coolly, her now-flinty eyes flaring at him dangerously.  "I would rather not be alone right now- however, if you're going to act like a bastard, then I shall take my leave of your presence.  It's your choice."  She stood with her arms crossed defiantly over her chest.  Snape stared at her stonily.

"Stay," he said shortly.  "That is, unless, you think you should rest."  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
He looked up at her with a derisive twist in his smile.  "Are you then?" he asked, his black eyes boring coldly into hers.  "Is that why you nearly faint after the day is done?  I suppose being 'fine' also means that you look as pale as the ghosts here and you're quite close to blending right in with them.  And that you act like you're as strong as you were before."  He came around the desk and glared at her.  "Well, you're _not_ that strong, Tinuvial.  You probably never will be for the rest of your life and you won't accept it.  In the meantime, you push yourself dangerously beyond where you should go and act like a royal bitch.  If you keep up this way, you'll surely kill yourself."

Tinuvial had remained silent through his angry words and he half-feared that she would storm out of his classroom and never speak to him again. Yet when he looked up at her closely, he saw that she was half-slumped against the wall, her hand rubbing her forehead.  He took an involuntary step towards her, but held back.

"I'm tired, Severus," she said, her voice strangely distant.  "I'm so very tired and afraid now."  When she looked up, he was shocked to see her eyes were filled with tears.  "I've been having strange dreams… about when I was cursed… about my mother's kin and what will happen to them if we fail. And …" her voice trailed off significantly as he came towards her.  She fixed him with a steady gaze.  "I have a responsibility to them," she said, her face not pale so much, but nearly gray.  "To Tobias, to Harry, to _everyone_.  And, great Merlin, Severus, I don't know if I'm strong enough to handle it."  She looked down, her gaze directed somewhere beyond the floor, eyelids lowered. "I don't think I've ever been truly afraid of anything.  But I am now."

  
He touched her shoulder gingerly- as if she were made of mist and would fade away at the touch of someone- and she fell into his arms.  She found comfort against him, the one place where she knew that she did not have to be the stoic and unmovable part-Fairy witch everyone believed her to be.  Snape closed her off from the world and everyone else as he put his arms around her.  Her shoulders shook slightly as she gave way to the tears she had been holding back for so long.  She clutched at him desperately as if he were all that held her in this life and he could do nothing more than hold her.


End file.
